Skip to main content

Centennial School District 28J

Collaborating in Community - Cultivating Equity - Inspiring Excellence

Schools

Popular Links

CSD - CEA Negotiations Information Home

CSD Licensed Employee Bargaining & Mediation Information

The Centennial School District (CSD) entered into negotiations with the Centennial Education Association (CEA) on February 10, 2025 and have met for 15 bargaining sessions.

 

As of December 2025, the District and the Association had reached a tentative agreement on changes to 16 articles in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Seven articles remain open, including:

  • Article 10 – Reduction in Force  
  • Article 11 – Calendar and Workday  
  • Article 12 – Workload  
  • Article 16 – Compensation  
  • Article 17 – Insurance  
  • Article 23 – Duration of Agreement  
  • CEA Proposed New Article – Centennial Virtual Academy    
  • Appendix E – MOU regarding Class Sizes, Case Loads, and Individual 

 

As part of our most recent offer, the District has proposed:

  • COLA increases of 4.25%, 3.25%, and 3% over three years (10.5% total).
  • Additional workload relief, including more teacher preparation time, passing time for secondary students, and protected time for reviewing student data.
  • Stronger class size and caseload supports, including lower Kindergarten parameters (18–25 students, two fewer students than current contract language) and additional compensation when class sizes or caseloads exceed contractual parameters. 

Bargaining Timeline (click date for session notes):

Text on a blue background: 'A Fair Offer That Leads in Our Community'.

District Financial Outlook

Similar to other school districts, Centennial must balance rising costs with uncertain future revenues. Two key ideas guide our approach:

  1. Keeping Students at the Center: Guided by our core values, every decision we make is grounded in our commitment to ensuring that Centennial students not only succeed academically, but also experience a deep sense of belonging, inclusion, and purpose.

 

  1. Fiscal Solvency and Responsibility: Like all Oregon school districts, Centennial receives a fixed budget based on the state funding formula, dependent on student enrollment. Under this funding format, increased spending in one area (such as salaries) requires reduced spending in other areas (such as staffing to maintain low class sizes). Additionally, compounding increases in spending may not necessarily be matched by adequate increases in state funding in future years.

A graphic illustrates the widening gap between rising costs and revenue, with a projected deficit.

Fiscal planning, including that which informs bargaining proposals, requires a long-term approach to ensure we can meet our financial obligations now and in the coming years. 

In short, the District is focused on protecting classrooms and student programs today, while avoiding deep cuts and instability in the future. 

Ending Fund Balance and Why it Matters

The District maintains a reserve, called the ending fund balance. This reserve represents the savings or funds that the District has at the end of the year, after all annual expenses are paid.

Text on a blue background asks: 'What is our Ending Fund Balance?'

The District’s current proposal in bargaining with CEA reflects this balanced, intentional approach to spending down our ending fund balance while still protecting the financial stability of the District. In contrast, CEA’s current proposal would require a much sharper decline in reserves each year, resulting in a negative fund balance in the third year that would necessitate significant cuts to staffing and student programs to restore solvency. 

This is the core financial challenge: finding a settlement that honors the work of educators and addresses classroom needs without putting the District on a path that forces major reductions later. 

 

Mediation Update

After 15 bargaining sessions, Centennial School District and CEA will enter mediation on February 4, 2026. Mediation is a standard part of the bargaining process. During mediation school remains open, students continue to learn, and both sides continue to work toward a contract that supports strong classrooms and a stable future for the District.

 

Our goals in mediation are straightforward:

  • Support safe, stable, and well-staffed schools for students
  • Provide competitive, sustainable compensation for educators
  • Protect student programs and services over the long term

 

We remain committed to this process and to achieving a settlement that is fair to our educators, responsible to our taxpayers, and keeps our students at the center of everything we do. 

The State-Mandated Mediation Process:

The PECBA (Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act) outlines a clear process and timeline for resolving negotiations.

 

A flowchart outlines the steps of a negotiation process, including bargaining, mediation, and potential strike.

 

Mediation: Frequently Asked Questions

  • Mediation is a voluntary problem-solving process in which a neutral, state-appointed mediator helps both bargaining teams work through remaining differences. The mediator does not take sides or impose decisions. Their role is to support both teams in reaching a mutually acceptable agreement.

  • After many months of bargaining and 16 articles tentatively agreed upon, a small number of topics still require additional attention and problem-solving. Mediation provides structure, confidentiality, and professional support to help both sides make progress and move toward a final agreement.

  • Mediation sessions usually include:

    • Both bargaining teams meeting with the mediator

    • Time for private conversations between the mediator and each team

    • The mediator helping explore options, alternatives, and possible compromises

    • Exchange of refined proposals or counterproposals

    Sessions can be short or long, depending on the issues being addressed.

  • Yes. Mediation does not interrupt the school calendar. Students continue learning, educators continue teaching, and all school programs and services continue as normal.

  • No. Mediation is confidential so the mediator can work with both parties candidly. Once a tentative agreement is reached, the details will be shared publicly.