Officials with Evergreen Public Schools and a union representing classified staff reached a tentative agreement late Wednesday, according to the district.
The deal marks the end of a strike that pushed the start of the school year back three weeks for the district’s nearly 22,000 students.
Classified staff with Evergreen Public Schools picket outside district headquarters on Sept. 2, 2025.
Erik Neumann / OPB
The district did not provide details about the agreement, but in an emailed statement Evergreen Superintendent Christine Moloney said union leaders scheduled a ratification vote for Thursday.
Throughout the strike, negotiators with the Evergreen chapter of the Public School Employees of Washington SEIU Local 1948 said they were fighting for fair wages for their approximately 1,400 members. The union represents bus drivers, paraeducators, school security officers and other support staff.
The two sides had been in contract negotiations since March. This was the first strike of the Evergreen Public Schools classified staff union.
The tentative end of the strike comes just days after the Evergreen Public Schools board approved its legal team filing an injunction against the union in an effort to compel staff to return to work. The legal motion was filed in Clark County Superior Court on Monday. A court hearing was scheduled for Sept. 11.
In a district resolution, the board authorized its legal counsel to “take all lawful steps necessary to terminate the strike, including injunctive relief, monetary damages, or other appropriate remedies,” as well as bringing suit against striking employees.
Unlike in Oregon, Washington state employees do not have a legally protected right to strike, according to the state attorney general’s office. However, there are no clear-cut penalties for strikes.
The school district is facing an $11.5 million shortfall in the 2026-27 school year. It is anticipating $26 million in cuts over the next three years.
Evergreen Public Schools isn’t the only district in Clark County currently navigating labor disputes. Teachers in the La Center School District have been on strike over cost of living negotiations since Sept. 3. The district has offered a 9.22% salary increase over the teachers’ four-year contract. The union is seeking a 9.9% increase over that period. The two sides are currently negotiating over the $77,672 difference.
Classified staff who are members of the Vancouver Association of Education Support Professionals are also in contract negotiations with the Vancouver Public Schools. The union has set Thursday as a deadline to vote on whether to go on strike if negotiations are not successful.
