Mediation Updates

As bargaining discussions continue between Springfield Public Schools and The Springfield Education Association, we recognize there will be many questions, and at times, conflicting information, about the current situation.

This update is designed to share accurate, factual information about the process and progress, the key details that remain, and next steps toward reaching a fair and sustainable agreement.

As always, our goal is to ensure staff, families, and the community have a clear and transparent view of the process so we can support student success while maintaining financial stability for our schools.

December 11 Update

Springfield Public Schools (SPS) and the Springfield Education Association (SEA) met again on December 11 and made continued progress toward a potential agreement. During this session, the two sides reached a tentative agreement on at least one additional contract article and made progress on additional articles, reflecting ongoing collaboration and forward movement in negotiations.

The December 11 session was held without a mediator, as the assigned mediator was unavailable at the last minute. Both parties have agreed to meet again on December 18 to continue negotiations, and that meeting will also occur without a mediator.

SPS remains committed to working collaboratively with SEA to reach an agreement that supports students, staff, and the long-term stability of the District. Further updates will be shared as discussions continue.

Springfield Public Schools and the Springfield Education Association (SEA) began bargaining in spring 2025 for a new contract effective July 1, 2025.
The two teams have met nine times since March 19 and have reached agreement on 15 articles, reflecting steady progress and collaboration.

At the Nov. 6 session, the teams tentatively reached agreement on three SPS proposals, Article 5 - Association Rights, and two new articles related to A3 and SPS Online, which included the District providing additional preparation time at those schools/programs.

SEA also provided package proposals that bundled several articles. The District will review those ahead of the next mediation-led bargaining session which is scheduled for December 11.

As of November 6, the two sides have not made progress toward a compromise in several key areas:

Financials:
- The District has proposed a $6.5 million financial package over two years, which represents the full budget authority approved by the School Board. Because the financial proposals from SEA to this point far exceed the budget authority, SPS has repeatedly asked SEA to share its financial priorities so funds can be directed where they’ll have the greatest impact for staff and students.

In the absence of those priorities, the current District proposal directs the full $6.5 million toward a 4% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and a $50 per month increase to insurance contributions in each of the two years, ensuring every employee benefits directly. This approach balances fair compensation with the District’s responsibility to maintain long-term financial stability for our schools.  

The District has estimated SEA’s total contract proposal is valued at nearly $16 million over two years.

Preparation Time:
- During the Nov. 6 meeting, SEA again proposed increasing prep time from 360 minutes to 500 minutes per week. The District’s proposal maintains the current 360 minutes, which already reflects growth over previous contracts.

While SPS recognizes the intent to support educators’ preparation, such an increase could reduce student instructional time, enrichment opportunities, and overall flexibility in scheduling at a time when financial resources are more and more strained.

Increasing teacher-directed prep time also eliminates embedded collaboration at the elementary level, which is not part of teacher-directed prep time. The District continues to see improved results from this embedded collaboration time as it’s an intentional weekly period where grade level teams focus on student-data and intervention focused opportunities for students.

Work Day:
- The District is proposing an 8-hour workday plus a 30-minute duty-free lunch, aligning licensed staff with other employee groups. Currently, licensed staff are required to be at work for a total of 8 hours which includes a paid lunch, which is unique only to licensed staff. Standardizing work hours supports collaboration, scheduling, and equity, while ensuring staff availability during the same operational hours to strengthen student support and service.

Additional Information

The Latest Update

Springfield Public Schools and the Springfield Education Association (SEA) began bargaining in spring 2025 for a new contract effective July 1, 2025.

The two teams have met nine times since March 19, most recently on November 6, and have reached agreement on 15 articles, reflecting steady progress and collaboration.

The next mediator-led bargaining session is scheduled for December 11.

Balanced Budget

The SPS Board of Directors adopted a balanced budget for 2025–26 that assumed a zero-percent COLA for all staff, to avoid pre-determining outcomes through bargaining. SPS administrators shared this context throughout the budget process.

The other two groups representing staff, Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA) and Springfield Association of Administrators and Confidentials. (SAAC) reached agreements on COLAs and Insurance.

OSEA - 4.15% COLA and $25/year cap on insurance
SAAC - 2.7% COLA and $25/year cap on insurance

Both groups then reduced positions for the 2025-26 school year to balance the budget.

The SEA agreement will also have to be reconciled in the 2025-26 budget once agreed upon. This will be done by reducing licensed positions.

The District remains committed to financial stewardship while ensuring that staffing and compensation decisions align with available resources.

Bargaining Timeline

SPS began the bargaining process early in 2025 with the shared goal of reaching a fair and sustainable agreement before the conclusion of the 2024–25 school year. However, initial meetings were delayed. Additional opportunities presented by SPS to meet over the summer did not occur. As a result, negotiations extended into the new school year.

These delays have postponed key discussions around compensation and working conditions and limited the District’s ability to provide financial clarity for staff heading into the current year. The longer bargaining continues, the greater the potential financial impact, as retroactive pay back to July 1 could require the District to redirect resources from staffing and classroom programs to cover those costs.

Because of the extended timeline and limited progress during open bargaining, where SEA rarely revised a counterproposal or reacted to a counterproposal during a meeting, the District requested to enter mediation. Mediation provides a structured setting for both teams to work with a neutral third party in hopes of reaching a timely and balanced agreement.

The District remains committed to bargaining in good faith, maintaining transparency with staff and the community, and ensuring that any agreement is both financially responsible and supportive of student learning.

State of Oregon K-12 Funding

Across Oregon, school districts are navigating a challenging financial landscape. Even with record K-12 funding allocations from the state, districts face budget shortfalls due to:

Declining student enrollment.
Rising costs (including PERS, health insurance, and inflation).
The expiration of one-time federal relief funds.

As a result, districts statewide are preparing for deep budget reductions in the 2026–27 school year. These pressures make it increasingly important for all districts, including SPS, to approach bargaining with a focus on long-term stability, student outcomes, and responsible financial planning.

SPS Historical Budgeting Decisions

Springfield Public Schools consistently focuses on being financially responsible and sustainable when managing district resources. During the pandemic, SPS made strategic choices to use one-time federal relief funds for one-time expenses, like upgrading HVAC systems across all schools to improve learning environments and air quality.

Other districts used temporary funds to pay for ongoing payroll and staffing costs, which created financial challenges once the funding ended. By contrast, SPS’s approach has helped the district stay financially stable, avoid sudden cuts, and continue protecting classrooms and student programs as budgets tighten statewide.

Moving Forward

SPS values the dedication and professionalism of all staff who serve every student, every day.

The two sides are scheduled to meet again on December 11 and will look to progress towards an agreement.

The District’s ongoing efforts in bargaining, budgeting, and planning are guided by a single priority - to sustain high-quality learning experiences for students while protecting the fiscal health of Springfield’s schools.