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Beaverton educators and classified staff welcome contracts, call for full funding and attention to working conditions
Summary
Beaverton Education Association and OSEA speakers praised recent contract negotiations, highlighted educators' out-of-pocket classroom spending, and urged the board to prioritize communication and staff safety as the school year begins.
Representatives of the Beaverton Education Association (BEA) and the Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA) addressed the board during the public comment portion, urging collaboration with the board and highlighting classroom funding and working-condition concerns.
Katie Lukens, speaking as president of the Beaverton Education Association, welcomed new board members and urged regular, transparent communication between the BEA and the board. Lukens said educators spend about $153.90 out of pocket each year on classroom supplies and called for fuller public-school funding so educators are not forced to supplement basic materials. "Our public schools deserve full funding so that no educator has to choose between paying their bills and providing for their students," she said.
Kirsty (identified as OSEA Beaverton chapter 48 president-elect) thanked the board for a special meeting in July that allowed ratification of a classified contract for 2025–28. She said OSEA leadership expects the finalized contract to be distributed by Labor Day and highlighted wins including "just cause" language and an upgraded safety article. Kirsty also urged attention to HVAC and heat-index conditions in school buildings as staff and students return amid a hot summer.
Both union speakers called for continued collaboration with the board, prioritized student-centered superintendent search criteria, and thanked classified staff for summer work in food service, grounds, facilities, and administrative functions. The board did not take immediate action on funding requests during the meeting; these comments were delivered as public testimony and as statements from union leadership.
