In east Multnomah County, over 300 educators from the Centennial School District have resolved to strike if urgent concerns about “dangerous class sizes” are not addressed by the district, according to reporting by KOIN. This would mark the first strike in the district’s history.

The Centennial Education Association (CEA), which represents a cross-section of the district’s licensed teachers and support professionals, says that ten months of bargaining have yielded no meaningful progress on reducing class sizes that regularly swell to as many as 34 students—conditions union leaders describe as detrimental to student learning and unsustainable for teachers. “Teachers want to be in the classroom, not out on a strike line. But when classrooms are pushed past the breaking point, we are willing to take action to protect our students,” said Drew Rosa, a 5th-grade teacher and CEA president. Reportedly, CEA formally includes over 300 educators in its membership. Negotiations thus far have not achieved improvements on class-size limits or workload protections. State-mandated mediation is scheduled to begin the week of February 4. The district maintains it has proposed smaller class size parameters and extra teacher preparation time, asserting that it is bargaining in good faith and concerned about the prospect of a strike before formal mediation began. —KOIN

Local reporting by The Outlook also underscores the breakdown in talks. A January 12 interim bargaining session failed to yield new agreements, prompting educators to vote unanimously to decline future interim meetings ahead of the February 4 mediation. The union cites “crisis classroom sizes”—including some classes exceeding 40 students—as the most pressing issue impeding progress. The district, in contrast, cites existing contractual class-size and caseload language and estimates average elementary class sizes at just under 25 students. The district’s latest proposal would adjust Kindergarten class size targets to 18–25 students and include compensation when caps are exceeded. —The Outlook

Why this matters locally:

• This is potentially the first teacher strike in the Centennial School District’s history—a major escalation reflecting deep frustration over working conditions and instructional quality.
• Overcrowded classrooms threaten individualized instruction and disproportionately affect students requiring additional attention—particularly in a district with high rates of English learners and students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
• The outcome of the February 4 mediation could determine whether disruptive strike action is averted or becomes a reality, raising questions about instructional continuity and district budget priorities.

What’s next: Mediation overseen by the state is set to commence Wednesday, February 4. A teacher rally is planned Tuesday outside the Centennial School District office. Both sides appear to be preparing for high stakes: the district warns that an early push toward strike-related public discussions is premature, while educators say time has run out for incremental compromise.

Sources:
KOIN: “Teachers pledge to strike over class sizes in Centennial School District”
The Outlook: “Centennial teachers eye strike over class size sticking point”