PPS reach tentative contract agreement with school professionals

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- As tensions rise with the possibility of a teacher strike for Portland Public Schools, 1,350 school professionals reached a tentative agreement for a new contract with Oregon's largest school district.

While the agreement doesn't include teachers, it does include jobs such as paraeducators, campus safety associates, therapeutic intervention coaches and sign language interpreters.

According to the Portland Federation of School Professionals, the new three-year contract would bring the employee's minimum wage to $20 an hour with 98% of the bargaining unit making more than that.

“We applaud the Portland Public Schools’s Board of Education,” said PFSP President John MacDuffee, “for responding to our members’ pleas by attempting to address the financial hardships endured by employees in this high-cost-of-living city.”

PPS Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero shared how important the school professionals are to the district and how thankful he is for the work that they do.

“The success of our students, and the effective operation of our school system, is possible because of the dedicated support by PFSP members,” said Guerrero. “We are grateful for their unwavering commitment to the district’s students and families, and for their productive engagement throughout these negotiations.”

As part of the contract, long-term employees also receive a $500 bonus in both their second and third years on the job.