Lakeville teachers, district reach tentative contract agreement

The union representing Lakeville teachers has reached a tentative agreement with the south metro school district, likely averting a strike that could have started as early as Friday or Monday.

No details about the deal have been released, but the agreement came after both sides spent 12 hours in a mediation session on Monday.

“We set out for a fair contract that would do more to recruit, retain and support teachers,” said Carrie Popp, president of the Education Minnesota Lakeville. “The support from our community has blown us away; parents, students, former students, community members and other school staff made this possible. I’m glad that the district came to the table with a fair offer so that, together, we could avert a strike.”

Last month, 98% of the union’s 762 members voted to authorize a strike. Last week, members staged a rally attended by more than 800 people.

Teachers had sought a pay raise and objected to language in a proposal that would have allowed administrators to reassign up to 15 teachers annually to new teaching roles without their input.

“After the hardest fight for a fair contract our union has ever experienced, we’re so proud of the agreement we’ve reached with the district,” said Johannah Surma, the lead negotiator and an English as a second language teacher at Oak Hills and Orchard Lake elementary schools. “This contract could provide a lot of hope for the future, a lot of needed support for our families and could be what many Lakeville teachers needed to stay in the community we love.”

Teachers will review and have the chance to ratify the contract on Monday and Tuesday. If approved, the Lakeville school board would vote on the contract.

Lakeville enrolls about 12,000 students.