Teacher strike averted; Seattle schools will start Wednesday

Superintendent Ben Shuldiner had signaled at a Tuesday afternoon news conference that progress was being made and he was hopeful for a resolution. He said special education and pay were two items the district and teachers were “passing paper back and forth” on, meaning actively negotiating.

“We’ve been moving back and forth at such a quick speed. What that says to me is that people really want to try to get this done,” Shuldiner said Tuesday afternoon. “I’m very thankful for SEA’s willingness to understand the deep need for change. I think that the fact that we are able to now have ideas on paper that we can talk about is really powerful.”

Still, the district had also been preparing for the reality of a strike: Schools had planned to offer bagged breakfast and lunches. The city issued information about childcare programs with openings and recreation centers that would be open.

The district provided updates on the bargaining progress every two hours, late into Tuesday evening, through its email, social media and digital platforms. While wages are often the primary sticking point in contract negotiations, attention had turned in recent days to the district’s special education programming and staffing.