Also, the district is covering what Crowder said is a 27 percent increase in insurance costs. Also, he said, other proposed contract changes would wind up costing teachers. He said the next step in negotiations is up to the board. It could be another month before a mediation session can be scheduled. The dispute involves about 100 ESD employees who provide a variety of specialized services to nearly 3,000 students in 31 school districts in a five-county Southern Oregon region.
Services aid students with physical and mental difficulties, some of which are extremely severe.
The ESD also operates a technology center with interactive video link-up in classrooms for distance learning.