District officials request mediation to resolve differences with Camas Education Association
Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today
As the teacher’s strike in the Camas School District continued on its second day, there was no reported progress in the stalemate between the district and its teachers.
In a communication with district families late Tuesday morning, Camas Superintendent John Anzalone offered a positive outlook despite the bleak update of the impasse between district officials and the negotiating team from the Camas Education Association (CEA).
“We’re going to get through this,’’ Anzalone wrote in a message posted on a website set up for Camas families. “And we’re going to come together when it’s all done. But it’s probably going to take longer than any of us want. We’re hopeful a mediator will help our teams bridge the gap. I’m sorry not to have better news this morning.’’
Anzalone said the district had requested mediation to assist with the bargaining effort. He also reiterated that on Sunday, “our district’s bargaining team presented its best offer before CEA’s self-imposed strike deadline …’’
Anzalone said the district’s proposal included the following:
- Offered lowered class sizes
- Offered additional music, P.E., and library funding
- Offered additional collaboration time for teachers
- Offered to increase teacher salaries by 5.7 percent this year and another 5.9 percent next year
Anzalone pointed out that, “In response, CEA went on strike. They have not presented another proposal since declaring a strike.
“CEA’s current monetary demands are unsustainable,’’ Anzalone added. “As our district’s team shared with CEA this summer, their demands would exhaust all state and local revenue sources and deplete all current reserves in the second year of the contract.’’
In a video message posted on the Camas Education Association’s Facebook page, CEA Vice President Michael Sanchez, a member of the union’s negotiating team, did not address the district’s proposal for mediation. He did state that on Monday evening, “the district asserted they expect CEA to accept their proposal without any further discussion. Furthermore, the community was notified on August 28th that the school board approved legal action to end the strike. Despite these threats the bargaining team, in good faith, is meeting with the district today, August 29th. We look forward to continuing negotiations to reach a speedy, fair and sustainable settlement.’’
The CEA also provided a summary of its bargaining proposal on its Facebook page. The union is asking for a Cost of Living Increase for each of the three years of the agreement. In addition, it is asking for an additional 4.8 percent in 2024-2025 and an additional 7.3 percent in 2025-2026.
The CEA is also asking for additional student support and learning outcomes in the form of Music, Physical Education, Health and Library program funding.
The teachers are also asking for class size limits beginning with 18 for kindergarten, 22 for grades 1-2, 24 for grades 3-5, 30 for grades 6-8 and 34 for grades 9-12.
For a complete summary of the CEA proposal, visit CEA proposal.
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Camas teachers marching on the streets, demanding even more pay for fewer instruction hours than ever before.
Public school educators parade in illegal strikes, then school districts tacks on fake make-up days to the tail end of the year in late June, when seniors are gone, and very little instruction is taking place. The last day of the year is only a few hours, for the few students that do show up. The disregard for the instruction time public school students deserve is striking.
What counts as instruction? In some districts, Recess, class changes, parent teacher conferences, and for high school seniors, the last five days of school regardless of instruction. Comparing the Camas School District calendar from 2004-2023, instruction hours have decreased as teacher pay demands have increased.
A look at the Camas School District calendar
Elementary school early release every Wednesday at 12:10 PM
Starting in 2014, elementary students are now released early for parent-teacher conferences instead of the previous after-school timeframe.
In 2022-23,
Elementary conf. week early release at 12:10 PM 3 x per school year
Middle school and high school have early release once a month.
Both Wed. June 14 and Friday June 16 are listed for early release.
For inclement weather, 2-hour late starts are not made up.
If school is closed for inclement weather, there are make up days scheduled, most of them tacked on at end of June, after June 19, which is listed as a “Non Student Attendance Day”, where no direct in person instruction is available apparently. Key time for students struggling to complete assignments, or tests.
High school graduations start 10 days before the last day of classes, adding pressure on students to complete senior projects, assignments, tests etc.
Transportation costs are the same for early release short days as for longer days, as well as robbing students of instruction time.
In addition, Teachers are paid for other non-instruction days such as in-service and grading days. Labor day now has 2 days off, and Thanksgiving vacation is 3 days off.
Instruction time in public schools has decreased significantly over the years, and teacher pay increase demands, and illegal teacher strikes have increased.
The OSPI reports that Camas has a 17:1 student/teacher ratio. That certainly seems reasonable. Furthermore, the OSPI reports that 30% of staff are “administration”.
“OSPI reports that 30% of staff are “administration. There’s the problem in a nutshell–and I believe the good teachers (of whom there are many!) would agree.