Current:Home > ContactTeachers in Portland, Oregon, strike for a 4th day amid impasse with school district -AssetLink
Teachers in Portland, Oregon, strike for a 4th day amid impasse with school district
View
Date:2025-04-12 20:36:26
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Schools remained closed in Portland, Oregon, on Monday as a teacher’s strike entered its fourth day, prompting state lawmakers to increasingly weigh in and call on the district to negotiate in good faith.
At a news conference with a Portland teachers union leader, state legislators representing the Portland area said they were frustrated by the district’s claim of a lack of funding.
The Legislature this year approved a record $10.2 billion budget for K-12 schools. But Portland Public Schools has said the money isn’t enough to meet the union’s demands of higher pay for educators.
“It feels a little disingenuous to have them come back and say, “Actually, we can’t do it because you didn’t give us enough money,’” state Sen. Elizabeth Steiner said of the district. “We did everything that schools asked us for and then some.”
In a letter to Portland Public Schools last week, Portland-area legislators including Steiner called on the district to cut “superfluous administration spending” and focus on classroom investments. They said they looked at the district’s spending and found that its administrative costs — about 6% of its budget — are roughly double that of comparable districts.
In a separate news conference Monday, Portland Public Schools Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero said the district’s central office accounts for 5% of the overall budget. He said the money “doesn’t necessarily go into a bunch of high-level managers,” citing positions such as instructional coaches and coordinators.
“There doesn’t seem to be agreement on how big the pie actually is,” Guerrero said. “We do have a fixed level of resources.”
The union has proposed a roughly 20% salary increase over three years. The district, meanwhile, has proposed around half that.
The union’s demands also include more daily and weekly planning time for teachers to prepare lessons, particularly for those in elementary school. They also are demanding class sizes be capped at certain thresholds that are lower than what the district has proposed in some instances.
The district has said the union’s proposals would create additional spending and result in potential staffing cuts. It also cited declining enrollment as a financial concern. The district has lost nearly 3,000 students since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in the 2019-20 school year, state data shows.
Portland Public Schools is the biggest district in the state with roughly 45,000 students.
The Portland Association of Teachers said educators will stay on the picket line until they believe a fair contract has been reached.
Guerrero said the district and the union were scheduled to meet again Monday.
veryGood! (4)
Related
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- Ex-QB Art Schlichter pulled over, hands officer crack pipe while on probation, police say
- Did 'The Simpsons' predict Apple's Vision Pro? Product is eerily similar to fictional device
- Montana man is found guilty in Jan. 6 insurrection
- Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
- TikTok Shop is taking on Amazon — one viral video at a time
- Aaron Rodgers tells Joe Rogan he's lost friends, allies, millions over his COVID-19 beliefs
- AI fakes raise election risks as lawmakers and tech companies scramble to catch up
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- Trump says Bud Light should be given a second chance after Dylan Mulvaney backlash
Ranking
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- Henry Cavill says he's 'not a fan' of sex scenes: 'They're overused these days'
- Tish Cyrus Reacts to Billy Ray Cyrus' Claim Hannah Montana Destroyed Their Family
- NFL’s first Super Bowl in Las Vegas has plenty of storylines plus an interesting football matchup
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- Minnesota officials say lodge that burned had 3 unresolved inspection violations
- The Georgia House has approved a $5 billion boost to the state budget
- Fire in Pennsylvania duplex kills 3; cause under investigation
Recommendation
Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
Pakistan votes for a new parliament as militant attacks surge and jailed leader’s party cries foul
Recalled applesauce pouches likely contained lead due to a single cinnamon processor the FDA just identified
Judge criticizes Trump’s midtrial mistrial request in E. Jean Carroll defamation case
2025 'Doomsday Clock': This is how close we are to self
Google’s Gemini AI app to land on phones, making it easier for people to connect to a digital brain
Ex-QB Art Schlichter pulled over, hands officer crack pipe while on probation, police say
New Mexico legislators advance bill to reduce income taxes and rein in a tax break on investments