Holyoke Public Schools and its teachers union have reached a tentative agreement, following a year of contract negotiations.
The Holyoke Teachers Association announced the news late Wednesday night – news that came hours after their latest mediation session involving the school district.
HTA members had been seeking a new contract since February 2025. Their previous contract expired in June.
Representing around 500 educators, the union had been asking for better salaries, more sick time and changes to pay being tied to teacher licensure.
Going into Wednesday, the district's latest offer featured leave time policy changes and salary increases. It's not clear if concessions were made on licensure during Wednesday's mediation.
In a statement, Mayor Joshua Garcia congratulated both the union and district, calling the latest HPS offer "unprecedented."
Last week, the mayor voiced serious concerns over the potential for a teachers strike.
Union officials say more details on the agreement will be discussed Thursday.
