PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The start of the school year remains on hold for thousands of Evergreen Public Schools students as a strike by support staff stretches into a third week. The district confirmed Tuesday that schools will remain closed Wednesday, deepening frustrations for families who have already seen more than two weeks of missed classes.
Confusion grew earlier in the evening when Evergreen Public Schools briefly announced that a tentative agreement had been reached with the Public-School Employees of Washington, Evergreen Chapter, Large Group (PSE Large Group), which represents nearly 1,400 paraeducators, bus drivers, and service staff. Minutes later, that message was retracted, with officials attributing the misstatement to an “incorrect subject line.”
Union leaders quickly clarified that no agreement exists, though they said progress is being made. Evergreen PSE Chapter President Mindy Troffer-Cooper said the union is prepared to negotiate “as long as it takes” but accused the district of halting talks too early each evening. “We are close to a deal,” she said, “but the District must stay at the table to finish the work.”
At a virtual school board meeting Tuesday night, testimony from parents and community members overwhelmingly supported the striking workers. Parents also voiced concern about the toll on children, with some describing the disruption as reminiscent of the isolation felt during the pandemic.
The Evergreen strike has kept students out of school for over two weeks, overlapping with a separate walkout in La Center, further disrupting education across Southwest Washington.
Though the district indicated that classes could resume Thursday if a tentative deal is reached and ratified, the withdrawal of Tuesday’s statement left the timeline uncertain. For now, negotiations remain ongoing with no confirmed end date.
