Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner has warned that the district is "broke" as it confronts a budget deficit estimated at $100 million. The announcement comes as the Seattle Education Association (SEA), the union representing teachers and staff, has voted to authorize a strike if a new contract with improved pay and benefits is not reached.
Shuldiner stated in a letter that the union is not being forced to strike and that the current contract remains in effect. "We are not the NFL owners who lock out our players trying to exact concessions or give-backs," he wrote, emphasizing that the union has the power to decide whether to strike. The union's key demands include higher pay, better benefits, and improvements to special education support.
According to KOMO News, 91 percent of SEA members approved the strike authorization. Shuldiner reiterated the district's commitment to a 9% pay increase over three years, contingent on avoiding a strike and reaching a new contract. He stressed the district's precarious financial situation, noting the need for careful spending. "As everybody knows, we’re broke, so we have to be really thoughtful around how we spend the money," Shuldiner said at a news conference. "If we had the money, I would love to give it to everybody. But the problem is we don’t."
The district's substantial budget deficit of approximately $100 million was exacerbated by earlier cost-cutting attempts, including a controversial proposal to close and consolidate schools. This plan faced significant opposition from employees and the community, leading the district to abandon it in favor of seeking operational savings and additional funding from state lawmakers and local levies.
Seattle Public Schools has also seen a notable decline in enrollment, with about 5,000 fewer students compared to 2019. Shuldiner, who was appointed in November, has previously emphasized fiscal responsibility, stating in February, "The first thing we have to do is stop spending money we don’t have."
Radio host Jason Rantz commented that for years the SEA was able to dictate bargaining terms due to a lack of response from the district. He suggested that Shuldiner's approach provides evidence and challenges the union's narrative, pointing to the union's delayed response to bargaining requests and its proposals on special education. Rantz noted that teachers on the most common salary scale earn a total of $142,584 in wages.