Educators in Minneapolis are expected to vote this week on whether they will strike after bargaining and mediation sessions have gone on without an agreement. 

The Minneapolis Federation of Educators announced Wednesday morning that "the strike vote is on", adding that while a long day of bargaining was held Tuesday, a fair agreement couldn't be reached. 

In a post made to social media, the union said this path wasn't chosen lightly, and that it is "standing up for what Minneapolis students deserve," including smaller class sizes, manageable caseloads and fair pay. A video that accompanied the union's announcement featured Brenda Johnson, a transition specialist at Stadium View School. Johnson said educators deserve a competitive salary and that Education Support Professionals shouldn't have to work multiple jobs.

On Wednesday, Minneapolis Public Schools said the district and union "are aligned on values and we share the same primary goals for our contracts as we support our students and staff." The district says a package of proposals was presented on Oct. 3, which was followed by revised proposals five days later. Then, on Tuesday, a partial response was received by the district on the revised proposals earlier in the month, according to the district, which has given details on the proposals on its website. 

Educators had previously said a strike vote, which could start as soon as Thursday. 

Minneapolis Public Schools had previously said in part that "While the district's budget is tighter than ever due to the historic underfunding of public education and expenses outpacing our revenue, we hope to reach an agreement that is fair, student-centered, and ensures the district can thrive even if there are state and federal funding cuts." 

Last year, Minneapolis educators averted a strike after working 300 days without a contract. In 2022, educators did strike, leaving students out of the classroom for three weeks and delaying the start to summer vacation.