Sheridan Teachers Go on Strike Over Lack of Contract

Educators say partnership with district has faltered, hurting students

Apr. 2, 2026 at 12:54am

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Teachers in the Sheridan School District south of Denver have gone on strike, saying the district has refused to reinstate their union contract. The teachers say the breakdown in partnership between educators, administrators, and the community is hurting the district's more than 900 students, most of whom are Hispanic and come from low-income families.

Why it matters

The strike highlights the ongoing challenges facing small, under-resourced school districts like Sheridan, which has seen a 40% decline in enrollment over the past decade. With less funding, the district has struggled to offer competitive teacher salaries and maintain a stable workforce, with a teacher turnover rate over 43% in recent years.

The details

Sheridan teachers have been working without a contract all school year after the previous agreement expired in July. Union leaders say the district refused to budge on pay raises when they returned to the negotiating table in August. The district canceled classes for three days this week due to the strike, which the union says will continue until the district responds to their demands to reinstate the expired contract and allow non-licensed staff to join the union.

  • The Sheridan Educators Association's previous agreement with the district expired in July 2025.
  • Negotiations for a new contract broke down in August 2025 when the district refused to make concessions on pay raises.
  • Sheridan teachers went on strike starting on April 2, 2026.

The players

Christen Reyes

A high school English and Spanish teacher who has worked in the Sheridan School District for many years.

Esther Rocha-Garcia

A math teacher at Sheridan High School.

Kate Biester

The president of the Sheridan Educators Association.

Gionni Thompson

The superintendent of the Sheridan School District, hired two years ago.

Kelly Landgraf

A former Sheridan teacher who now works in the neighboring Cherry Creek district.

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What they’re saying

“We've had disagreements, but we've always come to the table for the well-being of all.”

— Christen Reyes, High school English and Spanish teacher

“There's no partnership because we don't exist.”

— Christen Reyes, High school English and Spanish teacher

“How I feel is that we were playing a game, and they changed the rules of the game entirely and told us that we were no longer a part of it.”

— Kate Biester, President, Sheridan Educators Association

“The teachers are just turning over, which is terrible for kids. This is such a small community and it's such a close-knit community that it shouldn't be this hard.”

— Kelly Landgraf, Former Sheridan teacher

“It's so disheartening. There's days when we were all just scared to death and wanting to cry and go, 'What do we do about this?' But we have to stand together and fight.”

— Christy DiLuca, Speech language pathologist, Alice Terry Elementary School

What’s next

The Sheridan School District says it is 'eager and willing to return to the bargaining table to collaborate with our educators to find common ground.' The union has demanded that the district rescind a recent policy change and reinstate the expired contract, as well as allow non-licensed staff to join the union.

The takeaway

The Sheridan teachers' strike highlights the challenges facing small, under-resourced school districts as they struggle to attract and retain quality educators. The breakdown in partnership between teachers, administrators, and the community is hurting students, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Resolving this conflict will require both sides to come together in good faith to find solutions that support teachers and prioritize student success.