After more than 11 months of negotiations, Salem-Keizer Public Schools and Salem Keizer Education Association have reached a historic agreement on a new contract for more than 2,500 licensed employees.
The $42.5 million cost of the two-year increases includes a 9.75% increase over the life of the contract as well as a one-time retention bonus payment, increases in employer health insurance contributions, and new earning opportunities for teacher leaders, teachers of special education and dual language, and bilingual staff.
In addition to wage and benefit increases, licensed staff will see increased educator-directed time and new prioritization around the issue of elementary class ratio.
The agreement ratified today represents months of hard work by both our district leadership and our licensed association. We are thankful for the commitment on all sides to keep our students in school. In the coming months, we invite our unions, our families, and our community to join us in demanding a better funding model for Oregon’s children.
Board Chair Karina Guzman-Ortiz
The contract was officially ratified by both union members and the Salem-Keizer School Board on April 9, 2024.
We are very grateful to be at this place, finally, after a year. We appreciate and we're happy and we're proud of where we got to. I think we are going to bring about some very positive changes. We know there is a lot of problems with public education right now and we can't fix all of those, but we can re-write the narrative for Salem-Keizer Schools and this contract is a start for that.
SKEA President Tyler Scialo-Lakeberg
The contract contains the following highlights:
We are pleased to reach a fair and respectful contract that recognizes the quality and commitment of our educators. In reaching this agreement, we demonstrate that shared interests and a determination to stay at the table can lead to fair and responsible contracts, overcoming differences that arise even in dire economic circumstances.
Superintendent Andrea Castañeda