United for Safe and Equitable Schools
Seattle Education Association is the voice for educators and our students, standing united to address the needs of our community during this pandemic and to transform our district into an anti-racist school system where every student thrives.
On June 23, the Seattle Education Association and Seattle Public Schools will meet to begin the process of impact bargaining. Impact bargaining (also called Impact and Implementation) is a labor industry term that refers to the fact that our working conditions have been significantly impacted by the global pandemic. Our bargaining team will focus on addressing the current emergency and how best to return to schools in the fall.
Impact Bargaining Priorities
Based on bargaining survey data, input from the Representative Assembly, building meetings led by SEA building representatives, discussions with SEA Board of Directors, and member concerns, SEA developed the following priorities.
We stand for the health and safety of the whole community.
- Clean and healthy school sites will be essential and require district-provided equipment
- Need adequate health professional staffing to implement and monitor all safety protocols, allowing office professionals to continue their regular duties
- Options so that our most vulnerable members can safely work, and our most vulnerable students can safely learn.
- Planning for and preparing our substitute educators so they are fully equipped to provide the critical support we need.
We stand for strong teaching and learning for all students.
- Professional development to learn new strategies for remote-learning engagement as well as more authentic forms of assessment.
- Center the needs of our most impacted students, no matter how schools re-open.
- Fully utilize our paraeducators' skills and expertise.
- Ensure equitable workloads and consistent expectations that educators and families understand.
We stand for supporting the whole child.
- Creating welcoming learning environments and honoring students' identities including race, ethnicity, ability, immigration status, or LGBTQIA+ identities.
- Professional development and planning to employ trauma-responsive strategies as students will be returning to school having experienced the trauma of a pandemic and racial injustices.
- Additional mental health and behavioral health supports- recognizing the expertise of our counselors, social workers, nurses, family support workers, and others who have built strong connections with families and community partners to support students.
Survey Results!
1,609 members took the survey
- 80% certificated
- 13% paraprofessionals
- 4% office professionals
- 2% substitutes
Key Take-Aways:
Members are evenly divided on which model is the best model to re-open this fall.
The models are:
- all remote learning
- all remote learning with some in-building supports
- A/B rotating schedules for all preK-12 students
- all preK-5 students in buildings, 6-12 A/B rotating schedules
When given the choice of "other," 4% of members shared they believe schools should start with all students on a regular schedule.
Even with a full-time nurse on site and following all CDC/health guidelines, only 52% feel comfortable returning to work in person. That number drops to 29% if you take the nurse away.
27%
of members still do not have the technology to complete their job duties.
81% agreed preparing for remote learning instruction takes the same if not more time compared to in-person instruction.
79% want professional development
if they are required to teach remotely again.
Overwhelmingly, 91% of members believe that students most impacted by the closures should be prioritized for in-person learning. 95% believe that we should be staffing based on these students' needs.
76% agree that educators should focus on the social-emotional needs of our students above academics when we return in the fall. However, 67% disagree that they have the resources to do this. 65% disagree that they have been adequately provided PD to do this. 81% are NOT clear on how and when to focus on social-emotional needs. 79% are NOT clear WHO is to provide this.
72% want changes to the elementary, middle, and high school grading policies.
92% want to extend the moratorium on state standardized testing for 2020-21.
Meet the Bargaining Team!
Gwendolyn Jimerson,
SEA Vice-President & SEA Bargaining Chair; Yvette De La Cruz, SEA Executive Director; Marquita Prinzing, Center for Racial Equity Director; Marla Rasmussen, Paraprofessional President; Elizabeth Ward-Robertson, SAEOP President; Celina Austin, Paraprofessional Vice President; Micheal Melonson, Student and Family Advocate - Paraprofessional; Kim Nickerson, SAEOP Vice-President; Stan Strasner, Substitutes President; Peter Henry, Substitutes Vice President; Vallerie Fisher, SEA Treasurer/Family Support Worker; Shannon Ratner, Admin Assistant; Dazanne Davis-Porter, Kindergarten Teacher; Edmund Trangen, Humanities Teacher; Erin Carroll, OT/PT; Jeanine Calceta, Substitutes Board; Kara Golgert, Pre-K Teacher; Meesh Vecchio, SPED Teacher; Lynne Oliphant, Nurse; Alison Enochs, Nurse; Len Hill, Consulting Teacher; Mahamoud Gaayte, ELL Paraprofessional; Priscilla Allen, Elementary Teacher; Ann Dunbar, Elementary School Teacher; Sarah Lockenvitz, Middle School Teacher;
SEA UniServ Team: Reiko Dabney, Tim Kopp, Ceci Mena, Kristi Taylor.
There are another 40 members who sit on the bargaining subcommittees that we will highlight in future updates.
Communications is a Two-Way Street
The communications team (consisting of governance, bargaining team members, and SEA staff supported by WEA staff) will email and publish an Impact Bargaining Update with important details and actions related to the bargaining process. The communications team relies heavily on leaders within our union to keep in contact with members from their buildings or programs.
This is a two-way street. If members have concerns, they should also reach out to their building or program leaders.
We will mobilize members to show unity in support of the bargain. Watch for updates with the latest on what's happening at the bargaining table and information on important ways for you to show your support!
Important Dates to Calendar
June 18 - Listening Session #1 (focusing on specialists/librarians/elective/PE/
CTE teachers.
June 23 - Listening Session #2 (focusing on substitutes and paraprofessionals)
June 25 - Listening Session #3 (focusing on special ed services)
July 7 - First Day of Bargaining & Listening Session #4
July 9
- Listening Session #5
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The 2019-2022 Contracts are posted on the SEA Website!
