Seattle Public Schools, the largest K-12 system in Washington with 48,957 students, faces a potential teacher strike as the Seattle Education Association's contract expired on August 31.
Superintendent Ben Shuldiner confirmed that a mediator was brought in on August 31 to assist with ongoing negotiations, citing severe budget constraints as a primary hurdle.
While the academic year is scheduled to begin on September 2 for grades 1-12, it remains unclear if a strike will delay the start of classes for the 6,000 union members.