Teachers in Seattle have voted to strike if the union and school district do not reach a settlement soon, according to a report in The Seattle Times. The inability to reach a deal could result in delaying the start of the school for students in the district.
The Seattle Education Association has asked for a pay raise of 18 percent over three years, in addition to an authorized raise for cost-of-living expenses and another temporary two-year increase, which would equal another 4.8 percent.
The Seattle Times report highlights the different factors by which salaries may be determined, as they tend to vary significantly among Seattle teachers. A starting teacher’s base salary was over $44,000 last year, while a seasoned teacher with a master’s degree could be earning nearly $80,000. Washington’s budget last year granted increased funding for state schools by roughly $1.3 billion over the next two years. Seattle Public Schools are set to receive an additional $40 million.
Chris Neal ([email protected]) writes from New York, New York.
Image by Tim Evanson.
