Thecentersquare iconThecentersquareSep 4, 2026 ~1 min source read

Op-Ed: Seattle narrowly avoids illegal teacher strike - What happens next?

In Seattle, the first day of school narrowly avoided becoming the first day of an illegal strike. High-stakes contract negotiations between Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Education Association dominated back-to-school news until negotiators reached a tentative agreement at 9:30 p.m.

Op-Ed: Seattle narrowly avoids illegal teacher strike - What happens next?

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In Seattle, the first day of school narrowly avoided becoming the first day of an illegal strike.

High-stakes contract negotiations between Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Education Association dominated back-to-school news until negotiators reached a tentative agreement at 9:30 p.m.

More importantly, how long can Seattle Public Schools afford to operate this way?

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The useful part

In Seattle, the first day of school narrowly avoided becoming the first day of an illegal strike. High-stakes contract negotiations between Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Education Association dominated back-to-school news until negotiators reached a tentative agreement at 9:30 p.m. More importantly, how long can Seattle Public Schools afford to operate this way?

How it works

  • Seattle is Washington's largest public school district, operating in one of the state's wealthiest metro areas.
  • Yet Superintendent Benjamin Shuldiner has described the district as "structurally insolvent" and "broke," with reported debt approaching $87 million.
  • Shuldiner disclosed that the total wage for Seattle teachers before the new contract is $142,584.
  • The tentative bargaining agreement includes an 8.8% COLA over three years and annual salary-step increases for eligi...

Details worth keeping

Avoiding an illegal strike was welcome news for thousands of families.

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