Pay raises should have been a huge win for Spokane teachers. Instead, it backfired
There was a buzz among the teachers as they filed into the Shadle Park High School gym last August. They were told a deal with district officials had finally been reached.
They crammed into the bleachers, ready to vote on a new contract that would give most teachers and staff members double-digit pay raises. In the hours before the meeting, they flipped through packets in coffeeshops, scrambling to understand the deal. They wore red, signaling their solidarity with the rest of the teachers union. And when Spokane Education Association President Katy Henry announced the final tally — 95 percent voted "yes" — more than 1,500 educators erupted with cheers.
"The tone of all the communications that came out was that it's a success and everyone is happy," says Stephanie Oakes, a school librarian who was there that day.
But already, the writing was on the wall for widespread layoffs affecting hundreds of teachers in Spokane Public Schools. The school district had to dig deep into its budget to pay for the raises. The night before the teachers' contract was ratified, the district projected a $12.6 million budget shortfall for the upcoming school year. The outlook for the following school year was even more grim.
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