SEATTLE — Members of the Seattle Education Association are scheduled to vote Friday at 5 p.m. on a tentative three-year contract that negotiators reached with Seattle Public Schools, a deal that kept classrooms open for the district’s first day of the 2026-27 school year.
Key terms, vote next steps
The proposed agreement calls for salary increases totaling 9% over the life of the contract, in addition to the regular annual step increases the district grants. Negotiators also included new provisions aimed at addressing special-education caseloads, changes intended to improve staff-to-student ratios for nearly 70% of students served under Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
If union members ratify the agreement at the scheduled meeting, district leaders plan to submit the contract to the Seattle School Board for final approval. District officials said the tentative deal averted the prospect of job action that had been discussed during the bargaining process.
“Right now all indications are that they will take a ratification vote and if it goes well, we’ll bring it to the board,”
Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner said during an event highlighting the district’s free meals initiative, adding that if the membership does not approve the deal, the union will need to explain its reasons.
What the deal means for classrooms
For students, families and staff, the agreement offers short-term stability by keeping teachers on the job as the school year begins. The special-education language in the tentative agreement is notable because caseload size and staffing ratios have been a central concern in recent bargaining rounds. According to district statements, the new provisions are intended to impact the majority of students with IEPs.
For educators, the combined effect of the 9% across-the-board increases and existing step increases affects take-home pay differently depending on experience, certification and placement on the salary schedule. The district and the union will both be watching the ratification meeting closely; a membership rejection would reopen uncertain negotiations and could revive concerns about work stoppages.
- Vote time: Friday at 5 p.m., union membership ratification meeting.
- Contract length: Three years.
- Salary change: 9% total increase, plus annual step increases.
- Special education: New provisions to improve staff-to-student ratios for nearly 70% of students with IEPs.
Procedural and community implications
The tentative agreement must clear two steps to become binding: ratification by rank-and-file SEA members, followed by approval from the Seattle School Board. School administrators said they were prepared to present the agreement at the next board meeting if the union vote goes in favor.
Community groups, parents and labor advocates have monitored the talks because Seattle’s contract outcome can influence regional labor trends for educators and shape the district’s ability to recruit and retain staff. While the tentative deal offers immediate relief from strike threats, longer-term questions about funding, class sizes and specialized services remain focal points for families and advocacy groups.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Contract duration | Three years |
| Total salary increase | 9% (plus step increases) |
| Special-education impact | New provisions affecting nearly 70% of students with IEPs |
| Next union action | Membership ratification vote — Friday, 5 p.m. |
As the city watches the ratification outcome, district officials stressed collaboration in crafting the tentative agreement. Superintendent Shuldiner expressed appreciation for the negotiated “TAs” — or tentative agreements — and said the district hopes for a successful vote so it can move forward to the board for final action.
Attendance and decisions at Friday’s ratification meeting will determine whether the tentative contract becomes the framework for Seattle’s public school labor relations for the coming years or whether bargaining will resume. In the meantime, classrooms opened on schedule across the district, and schools are operating under the terms that existed before the tentative deal.
