Sheridan educators could return to the classroom as soon as Monday, after the district and educators — who have been striking for the entirety of the month — reached a tentative agreement, the governor's office announced Thursday evening.
The agreement comes after Gov. Jared Polis intervened, imploring both sides to reach an agreement.
"I’m excited to share that both sides have come to an agreement to get kids back in classrooms right away," Polis said. "I urge both sides to officially ratify the agreement quickly to avoid further delay. These students have already missed critical classroom time, and each of them deserves a great education and to be back in school."
The strike began April 1 over new contracts, better pay and concerns over retaliation. It's already the longest teachers strike in more than four decades, our media partners at the Denver Post report.
While details of the agreement weren't shared Thursday evening, a statement from the educators association said it met the union's demands.
"We are proud to report to the Sheridan community that we have finally achieved an initial agreement ... that meets our demands to reinstate our contract, a path to recognize classified staff, and an end to the retaliatory and restrictive policies that have caused instability in our schools," the statement reads. "Once this policy is ratified by our membership, we are ready to get back into our classrooms and be with our students with the dignity all educators deserve."
Earlier Thursday, Denver7 reported that Sheridan educators could be losing their employee-sponsored health benefits starting on May 1 and that employees may need to pay the district back for premiums they have covered during the strike, per a district-wide email.
School district officials said they were "thankful" an agreement had been reached and said the "highest priority" was getting students and teachers back in classrooms.
"We share the Governor’s urgency in moving forward toward swift ratification to avoid further delays and ensure students return to a stable, consistent learning environment in which each student can thrive,” Gionni Thompson, superintendent of the Sheridan School District, said in a statement.
The educators association is expected to vote on the agreement Friday, and the Sheridan School Board is expected to vote on Tuesday, according to the governor's release.
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