Sheridan School District, union members reach tentative agreement after 3-week strike

The Sheridan Educators Association has come to an initial agreement with the Sheridan School District on terms to end their three-week strike.

Both sides were negotiating at the Colorado State Capitol all day Thursday after Democratic Gov. Jared Polis put more pressure on them to end the strike, which began on April 1.

Teachers in Sheridan schools have been working without a contract since last August, when the contract lapsed for the first time in decades.

Union leaders said they were pushing for more transparency from the district, particularly when it comes to school calendars and employee pay. They also advocated to expand union membership to include support staff, such as bus drivers.

In a statement, Polis said he is glad teachers will be back in the classroom.

“I’m excited to share that both sides have come to an agreement to get kids back in classrooms right away," he 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. I appreciate the commitment from both sides to reach a workable solution that best serves the families and students of the district while supporting our educators.”