COLUMBUS, Ohio – Thousands of Columbus Education Association members have overwhelmingly voted to ratify a two-year re-opener package with Columbus City Schools for the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school years. The agreement contains language on scheduling, compensation, planning time, leaves, and other critical issues for students and educators. Members cast their votes following a mass meeting and comprehensive review of the conceptual agreement this evening at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
CEA leaders expressed appreciation for the work of both bargaining teams in reaching the agreement, specifically commending Dr. Antoinette Miranda, Board of Education President, for taking such an active role in the negotiation process.
Eastmoor Academy teacher and CEA Spokesperson Regina Fuentes offered the following statement upon ratification of the re-opener agreement:
“I want to stress tonight that while we are pleased to have successfully concluded this process, Columbus City Schools educators are not celebrating.
The Ohio State Legislature continues to fail to uphold their constitutional duty to properly fund public schools. When we begin the next school year, our students will have reduced resources, less services, and fewer educators to help them grow and learn. We will lose hundreds of our talented colleagues. This is not an accident. These are policy choices.
Additionally, while Columbus City Schools agonized for months over these cuts in response to this state-imposed $50 million dollar budget deficit, it took less than two weeks for our city council and county commissioners to find $50 million tax dollars (and a park) to give away to out-of-town billionaire Jimmy Haslam for another professional sports pet project.
Our students continue to suffer as politicians cater to the needs of the wealthy over our communities, and we are well aware of the work in front of us to turn that around.
Nonetheless, we are pleased to have gained through this agreement, for the time being, a measure of stability for CEA members, students, and our entire community. Our struggle for the schools Columbus students deserve continues.”
The Columbus Education Association is the union representing nearly 4,500 teachers, librarians, nurses, counselors, psychologists, and other education professionals in Columbus City Schools. The Columbus Education Association is a proud affiliate of the Ohio Education Association and the National Education Association.
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