Classes in Minneapolis Public Schools will remain canceled Monday, as the district and the teachers' union failed to reach a deal Saturday night. Both sides returned to mediation on Sunday.
Representatives for the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers and Educational Support Professionals and the district held negotiations Saturday, after spending more than 14 hours in a session the day before.
In a statement released Saturday afternoon, the district said classes on Monday will remain canceled unless they reach an agreement by day's end.
"Any change in that status will be shared with students, families and staff as soon as possible, as we understand the stress and difficulty this interruption is causing our community," district spokesperson Crystina Lugo-Beach wrote. "We are committed to getting students back in classrooms as soon as possible, as well as honoring the needs of our teachers and [educational support professionals]."
The district serves about 28,700 students, who have gone nine school days without class during the strike.
The union has bargained for, among other things, a starting wage of $35,000 for support staff. The union is also asking the district for more mental health professionals for students, smaller class sizes, higher wages for teachers and protections to help retain teachers of color.
