47,000 Ohio students may start school online if strike in state's largest district continues

Megan Henry and Ashley R. Williams, USA TODAY NETWORK
·4 min read

The Columbus Education Association went on strike Monday for the first time in 47 years after contract negotiations with Ohio's largest school district broke down — and 47,000 students could start school online this week if the picketing continues.

More than 94% of the union's nearly 4,500 members — teachers, librarians, nurses, counselors, psychologists and other education professionals — "overwhelmingly rejected" Columbus City Schools' final offer during a Sunday vote.

The strike centered around the schools' conditions not being up to par "while our district officials sit in prime locations," said CEA spokesperson Regina Fuentes, who accused the Board of Education of "multiple efforts to negotiate through the media after walking away from the bargaining table."

Columbus Education Association members gather outside of Yorktown Middle School to form a picket line on Monday morning August 22, 2022. The union voted the previous night to strike against the Columbus City Schools.
Columbus Education Association members gather outside of Yorktown Middle School to form a picket line on Monday morning August 22, 2022. The union voted the previous night to strike against the Columbus City Schools.

In early August, the union filed a notice to the State Employment Relations Board of its intention to strike and picket if a new contract was not reached. The union's contract with the district expired Monday. Picket lines are set up at 19 schools and the district's Southland Center, and classes begin Wednesday.

Fuentes said there's no timeline for the strike.

What is the Columbus Education Association asking for?

Fuentes said the school board, which had its 22nd negotiation session with the union Thursday, aimed to make the strike about teacher's salaries, professional development and leaves.

"Let me be clear: This strike is about our students who deserve a commitment to modern schools with heating and air conditioning, smaller class sizes and a well-rounded curriculum that includes art, music and (physical education)," Fuentes said in a statement.

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The school district said it updated HVAC systems in 13 school buildings this summer using $35.6 million in federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds.

The CEA also requested smaller class sizes; full-time art, music and physical education teachers; more teacher planning time; a cap on the number of daily class periods; and "other working conditions that recruit and retain the best educators for our students."

Failed negotiation between schools and Columbus Education Association

The Columbus City Schools Board of Education requested two negotiation sessions last week. Both ended with no agreement.

After a 12-hour meeting Thursday, the board gave another final offer that would:

  • hire 25 additional full-time school nurses, behavioral specialists, school psychologists and speech language pathologists in 2024 and 2025

  • give teachers an extra planning day in 2024 and 2025;

  • reduce K-5 class-sizes this school year to 28 students

  • offer 30 days of paid leave for birth, adoptive and foster-parent teachers

The CEA previously asked for an 8% salary increase for the next three school years, according to documents obtained by The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network. ​​The school board countered in May with a 2.5% increase for those years, the complaint showed.

The board's "final offer" was a 3% increase at each step of the salary for 2022-23 and a $2,000 retention bonus paid out over the next two years, according to the complaint. The 3% increase offer remained the same Thursday.

“By the end of this three-year contract, a teacher who last school year was paid the district’s average salary of $74,000 will be earning more than $91,000,” said Columbus City School Board President Jennifer Adair. Starting teachers would earn more than $50,000 in the contract's first year, Adair said.

How could the strike affect back to school?

If the CEA strikes through Wednesday, nearly 47,000 students will start school remotely — a move criticized by parents concerned that some students struggled with online learning during the pandemic shutdown.

The Columbus City Schools Board of Education planned to discuss the strike at a Monday night meeting. Adair called the union's rejection of the board's "generous compensation package" and vote to strike "incredibly disappointing."

“We are saddened by the unfortunate situation our families, our community and most importantly, our children now face,” Adair said.

No new negotiations between the two sides have been scheduled.

Gahanna-Jefferson Schools, the most recent district in Greater Columbus school district to strike, picketed for four days in 2020. The strike-ending contract gave teachers in the 7,500-student school district a 2.25% base pay raise.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Columbus City Schools strike: Talks between Ohio teachers, board stall