What Happened in the Teachers Contract (and who loses)?

Update: I erred in saying that it was Ibi Idowu, SEA president, who was signing the agreement with Superintendent Shuldiner. It was VP Davina Diaz. Both women wear big glasses and Ms. Diaz' head was down. My apologies 

End of update

From statements that Superinetendent Ben Shuldiner has made, the teachers and associated staff (paraprofessionals, office staff, and substitutes) will get slightly more than the 8.8% raise that was offered.  My understanding is the state COLA is 2.6% per year and so this may represent a little less than 2% from SPS. 

The Special Education services that teachers wanted? Kinda kicked down the road by both sides. The district is creating a "partnership" to look at Special Education (that allegedly will include parents).

I'm a bit baffled because I thought there already was a Special Education Taskforce. This new group will spend 18 MONTHS to research, talk to families, and look at best fit options for SPS. 

Additionally there will be a "pilot program" for some schools in school year 2028-2029. 

The SEA Facebook page makes this sound great but I think they are just happy that the new inclusion plan for Special Education - returning most Special Education students to their home schools for learning in Gen Ed classes with IEP services - is not happening under this contract. 

Interestingly one SEA member said this:

The 2019-2022 task force made recommendations to the bargaining team in 2022 for a pilot. 

Another SEA member says about this pause:

Things aren’t going to change for the worse either, at least not right away, and not without the input of SpEd families. And that’s not nothing.

It is for the kids. It's nothing. 

So the teachers get a raise and Shuldiner gets to create yet other taskforce.

Did both sides prevent a strike? Yes, they did. 

But are Special Education students and their families getting any satisfaction out of this contract? I really can't wait to see official messaging from SPS but on face value I don't think so.

A few other things to be aware of out of this episode. 

SEA has an internal group called Seattle Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators (CORE) that has a social justice mission. Know what's weird? Nothing at the SEA website. CORE does have an Instagram site and a Facebook page. 

Then there is this:

The 2026 Seattle Education Association (SEA) preliminary election results are in, signaling a major transition in leadership. With 24.3% turnout (1360 of 5589 voted), the results indicate a move away from the previous cabinet, with a significant number of incumbents being unseated.

The 2026 election saw a notable sweep by candidates aligned with the Seattle CORE (Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators). All the victors, except for the current Vice President, were endorsed by or are active members of this caucus.

And apparently, the SEA membership was not told of the troubles of the president they elected before they voted. Here she is signing the new agreement with Shuldiner.

Ibi Idowu and Ben Shuldiner and Davina Diaz

On a Reddit page devoted to Seattle Public Schools, there was also a video (which I am trying to get a link to). It was from Ms. Idowu's Facebook page but got taken down but not before someone grabbed it.

It's a 5-minute video - she's driving the entire time - where she tries to explain her teaching style with autistic students. She talks about these students learning "consequences" when she takes away some class privilege. As a parent of an autistic adult child, I think consequences are important but, equally, positive reinforcement. She seems to be complaining that parents don't back her up at home. 

She is on administrative leave over complaints that she grabbed kids, yelled, and through items at students (like a pen).