Oregon's largest school district, Portland Public Schools, announced late on Sunday that a tentative agreement had been reached with its teachers' union, paving the way for roughly 45,000 students to return to school on Monday. The teachers had been on the picket line since November 1st, demanding improvements in pay, class sizes, and planning time.

The agreement, which still needs to be voted on by teachers and approved by the school board, allows classes to resume while the voting process takes place. Students in the district had missed 11 days of school prior to the weeklong Thanksgiving break, resulting in concerns about learning loss during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

"We are relieved to have our students returning to school and know that being out of school for the last three weeks - missing classmates, teachers, and learning - has been hard for everyone," stated Guadalupe Guerrero, the superintendent of Portland Public Schools.

The tentative deal, hailed as a significant victory by the teachers' union, addresses key issues such as classroom size, teacher salaries, health and safety measures, and mental health support for students impacted by the pandemic. To make up for lost days, students will have a week cut off their winter break and additional school days added in the new year.

According to the Portland Teachers Association President, Angela Bonilla, "This contract is a watershed moment for Portland students, families, and educators. Educators have secured improvements on all our key issues... Our schools are getting the added investment they need, thanks to the collaborative efforts of families, students, allies, and teachers."

Under the agreement, educators will receive a cumulative cost-of-living increase of 13.8% over the next three years, with about half of them earning an extra 10.6% through yearly step increases. Starting next year, more classroom time will be added for elementary and middle grades, while teacher planning time for elementary and middle-aged classrooms will be increased by 90 minutes per week.

The district also plans to triple the number of team members dedicated to supporting students' mental and emotional well-being.

The strike, which began after the expiration of the previous contract in June, marked the first-ever teachers' strike in the Portland Association of Teachers' history. Teachers raised concerns about rising class sizes, lack of support in the classroom, and stagnant salaries that failed to keep up with inflation. The annual base salary for teachers in the district starts at approximately $50,000.

Portland Public Schools repeatedly cited a lack of funds to meet the union's demands, despite the Oregon state lawmakers approving a record $10.2 billion K-12 budget for the next two years in June. The district emphasized the need for better school funding and indicated that budget cuts would be necessary to accommodate the concessions made to the teachers' union.

As talks progressed during the Thanksgiving break, tensions escalated, culminating in a march by teachers across a major bridge, briefly halting rush-hour traffic. Reports of vandalism and protests targeting school board members added to the strain.

The agreement reached between Portland Public Schools and the teachers' union reflects a compromise that will bring relief to students, parents, and educators. The voting process and approval by the school board are the final steps needed to solidify the agreement and ensure the resumption of regular school activities in the district.

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