No Seattle teachers strike: 50,000 students head back to school Wednesday as planned

Seattle teachers will not go on strike, and the school year will start Wednesday as scheduled.

The Seattle Education Association (SEA) and Seattle Public Schools (SPS) announced a tentative contract agreement late Tuesday night.

SEA represents approximately 6,000 teachers and faculty. The district has approximately 50,000 students.

Superintendent, union leaders react to tentative agreement

“I am excited to welcome students, families, and staff back to school tomorrow. I am grateful for the hard work, thoughtful conversations, and shared commitment to Seattle’s students that resulted in this tentative agreement,” said Seattle School Superintendent Ben Shuldiner. “Throughout this process, both SPS and SEA focused on what matters most: ensuring students are welcomed into safe, supportive classrooms where they can learn, grow, and thrive. I am grateful to our bargaining teams, SEA leadership, and everyone who remained committed to finding a path forward.”

“Educators are fierce advocates for our students and SEA members made this agreement possible through strength and unity,” SEA Vice President and lead bargainer Davina Diaz said. “With our tentative agreement now behind us, SEA looks forward to a new, more positive and collaborative relationship with SPS.”

Pay, class size and special education were key sticking points

According to the union, which voted last week to authorize a strike if no agreement could be reached, it has been negotiating a new contract since June. Last year, teachers worked on a one-year contract that increased pay by 2.5% and established safeguards regarding student discipline and classroom disruptions.

“We don’t want to, but we are ready to stand up for our students if the district forces us to,” the Seattle Education Association wrote in a social media post after the strike authorization vote last week. “We want to be back with our students, and we want to return with a contract that provides more of what our students need to succeed.”

The tentative agreement still needs to be ratified by both the union and the district.

Pay, class size and changes to special education were all sticking points in the negotiations.

New SPS Superintendent Ben Shuldiner faces $87 million budget shortfall

Ben Shuldiner became the SPS superintendent in February, inheriting an $87 million budget shortfall. Over the summer, he stated cuts, layoffs, and school closures are all options to address the district’s budget woes.

“Everything is on the table,” Shuldiner said in June. “When you’re $87 million in the hole, you can’t just pretend that money grows on trees.”

According to The Seattle Times, SPS enrollment has dropped by roughly 3,000 students over the last six years.

One money-saving method Shuldiner proposed was removing positions as they become vacant through retirement or staff departures, with the overall goal of reducing administrative layers and simplifying decision-making.

Teachers within SPS currently earn an average salary of $117,000 each year, according to the Seattle Education Association.

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