Bargaining and Mediation

Springfield Public Schools (SPS) and the Springfield Education Association (SEA) began bargaining for a new contract on April 8, 2025.

Both sides have worked to find common ground and have reached tentative agreements on 12 articles. Several significant issues remain unresolved.

The 150-day bargaining threshold was reached on Friday, September 5, 2025. Under Oregon law, once this threshold is met, either party may request mediation. SPS has chosen to take this step out of a sense of urgency to reach a settlement and provide clarity for staff, students, and families.

Mediation is a standard step in the bargaining process. A neutral third party is assigned to help both sides focus discussions, address outstanding issues, and work toward an agreement.

After a mediator is assigned, the District and SEA will schedule mediation sessions with the goal of reaching agreement.

Oregon law requires that the parties remain in mediation for at least 15 calendar days before either side may declare an impasse. Declaring an impasse at that point is optional. Mediation can continue beyond 15 days if both parties and the mediator believe it is productive.

If no agreement is reached and an impasse is declared, each side submits final offers. This triggers a required 30-day cooling-off period before either party could take further action.

The 2025-26 Operating Budget, approved by the SPS Board of Directors on June 9, 2025, did not include any cost of living adjustments for any employee group. The longer negotiations take, the greater the likelihood that reductions will be required once a contract is finalized. Those cuts could impact licensed positions, which directly affects classrooms. Reaching an agreement in a timely manner helps ensure stability for both staff and students.

To date, the District and the Springfield Education Association (SEA) have reached tentative agreements on 12 articles. However, several significant issues remain open. These include how to allocate board-approved funds for compensation, insurance contributions, workload and staffing language, and other provisions related to working conditions.

The District has proposed 4% cost of living adjustments (COLAs) for each of the first two years of the contract, along with an additional $50 per month toward insurance premiums. SEA’s most recent salary increase proposal would result in a nearly 20% increase in COLAs over a three-year contract, in addition to a number of other financial requests that would further exhaust unallocated financial resources.

In total, 10 articles from the previous contract, three new articles (language from the previous contract that were moved to a new article), and one appendix have not yet been finalized.

Yes. SPS has regularly provided links to bargaining sessions and supporting documents online and will continue to share that information. Updates and additional resources, including answers to frequently asked questions, will be posted on the district website.

updated September 25, 2025

The next bargaining session is scheduled for November 6, 2025. While both parties had expressed interest in meeting sooner, this was the first mutually agreed-upon date.