Minneapolis Families 'Excited' As Educators, District Reach Tentative Deal

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Minneapolis educator unions and the school district reached a tentative contract agreement overnight, potentially drawing an end to an 17-day strike which has impacted thousands of families across the city.

Educators will vote over the weekend on the new contract; if approved, students could return to school as soon as Monday.

MORE: Minneapolis Educators, School District Reach Tentative Contract Agreement

There's a sense of cautious optimism among some students and families about potentially going back go class on Monday.

North Community High School student Asiah Bankhead hopes there's school next week.

"I'm excited to see my advisory teacher Mr. Lindquist because I love him a lot and I miss bugging him," she said.

"I can't wait to go back to school to be honest," said student Taylor Butler. "I'm hoping and praying that it's going to happen."

Regardless of when the return happens, there were lessons learned along the way - about resiliency and community.

"I mean our kids are so resilient it blows my mind," said V. Paul Virtucio, who has a child in the second grade. He said families and educators have connected over the past few weeks in the parking lot across from Bancroft Elementary.

Parent Daisy Fontaine, who cleans houses and works evenings at a neighborhood restaurant, has tapped into her community to help care for her son Nico.

"It's not ideal for me to bring my son to work with me, it takes me longer to do my job," she said. "I've learned how to ask people for help."

Fontaine said she's still planning childcare for next week. She hopes her son will be back in school, but doesn't know if that's realistic.

Community members and organizations have stepped up to offer child care and educational support during the past few weeks. North High students and parent volunteers gathered at Shiloh Temple in north Minneapolis to make food and provide activities for kids. The YMCAs  in north and south Minneapolis also created programming for kids and extended hours to help parents.

Minneapolis educators have picketed every day since March 8, demanding better mental health support for students, increased classroom sizes, and higher wages especially for support staff.

When the district gave what it said was its final offer, the two sides were $167 million apart, but the unions said "major gains" were made on pay for educational support professionals and educators of color.

Students will need to make up school days missed due to the strike, the district said. The district and union will develop a plan for the rest of the school year, which will be announced on Friday, Superintendent Ed Graff said.