Woodburn teachers declare impasse and prepare for strike, in wake of dozens of resignations

The Woodburn Education Association said since May 2021, 96 teachers have left the district or moved into a different position.
Across Woodburn schools, signs hang in classroom windows and on school building walls.

“Woodburn teachers don’t want to strike, but we will.”

The Woodburn School District and the union representing Woodburn teachers have been negotiating a new contract for nine months. Wednesday, Woodburn Education Association representatives announced that they’d reached an impasse with the district, a step that is legally required when talks break down. It means teachers are one step closer to a potential strike.

The possible strike shows the difficulties the majority Latino district north of Salem has experienced through the pandemic. Woodburn has been held up as a model in recent years for supporting Latino students through dual-language programs and targeted support. In 2019, Woodburn boasted an 89% high school graduation rate for Latino students — 12 points above the state average for that demographic group at the time. In 2022, that graduation rate was down to 72% for the same group, lower than the state’s 78%.