As I reported Monday morning, Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) teachers rejected a tentative contract offer from school administrators, with 86% of voting members saying no. In that earlier story, I outlined the next steps in the process.
I asked the HSE School District for comment Monday morning. HSE Superintendent Patrick Mapes released the administration’s response Tuesday afternoon.
In his written statement, Mapes said district leaders are “disappointed that the teachers’ association has chosen not to ratify the tentative agreement that the administration team reached with the bargaining team,” adding that the district remains committed to finding a solution that is “both fair to our educators and responsible to our taxpayers.”
Mapes emphasized that HSE already invests heavily in teacher pay and benefits. According to the superintendent, the district dedicates nearly 84% of its education fund tuition support revenue to teacher compensation — well above the state’s required minimum of 65% — and leads Hamilton County in several key compensation areas, including starting salaries for teachers with bachelor’s and master’s degrees, average teacher salary, and contributions to both retirement and health savings accounts.
He also noted that the district faces new financial pressures due to a projected annual revenue decline of more than $4 million, driven by changes under state law and declining student enrollment. Mapes said the rejected tentative agreement included $1.1 million in benefit enhancements, partially funded by cash transfers to offset rising insurance costs. Because the contract was voted down, those improvements cannot take effect, and health insurance contributions have reverted to prior levels under state law.
“No employee group, and no member of district leadership, including the superintendent, received a salary increase this year,” Mapes wrote. “Our teachers are essential to our success, and our respect for their work is unwavering. We will continue to negotiate in good faith within the state’s prescribed process and remain hopeful that an agreement will be reached that supports our staff, students, and community.”
Meanwhile, the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) released its own detailed statement on social media Tuesday morning, calling the 86% rejection vote a “mandate” from teachers and saying it reflects frustration over what they describe as a lack of respect from district leaders.
The union criticized the district’s handling of negotiations, saying its proposals on salaries, benefits, and teacher planning time were dismissed. The HSEA is asking administrators to return to the bargaining table with an additional $1.67 million to prevent pay cuts for most teachers, restore 30 minutes of weekly planning time, and commit to making teacher pay more competitive in future years.
Union leaders said their members remain united, describing the next phase of negotiations as a fight for “professional respect and financial dignity.”
The current timeline allows both sides until November 15 to reach an agreement before mediation is required under state law.