The three-day long Denver, Colorado, teacher’s strike has concluded with school administrators and strikers reaching an agreement that includes teacher raises from 7 percent to 11 percent, cost-of-living increases and more opportunities for further salary increases.
The AP reported that the deal was announced Thursday morning, finally being reached after both parties had been negotiating through the night. Teachers were told they could return to their classrooms if they felt ready to do so. (RELATED: Denver High Schoolers Seen In Student-Filmed Video Crowding Hallways And Dancing During Teacher’s Strike)
Democrat Gov. Jared Polis, who declined to use his authority to block the strike, praised the deal, saying that “Denver’s kids are the biggest winners in today’s agreement.”
The strike began Monday after negotiations went south over teacher pay, being the first time Denver teachers have gone on strike in 25 years.
Strikers also raised concerns over the school system’s practice of paying bonuses to teachers who work in high-poverty schools as an incentive, claiming that bonuses are not enough to stabilize teacher retention, and spending for smaller class sizes and supporting staff are also necessary. (RELATED: Denver Teachers Go On Strike For First Time In 25 Years After Failed Pay Disputes)
The district says some of the money that will be used for the pay raises will come from cutting 150 jobs in the district’s central office, as well as cutting performance bonuses for staffers in the central office.