Polis urges end to 10 day Sheridan educator strike

Source: Colorado Public Radio

By Haylee May
·
Apr. 14, 2026, 9:17 am

On the 10th day of the ongoing teacher strike in Sheridan School District 2, Gov. Jared Polis is urging both sides to return to the negotiating table and reach a resolution.

"Educating our children is the foundation of Colorado’s future. Student success starts with supporting our educators, including recognizing their right to organize. However, students must not be put in the middle of this disagreement; the current strike has caused attendance to plummet and students have missed meaningful instruction and access to services,” Polis said in a statement. “That's why both sides must return to the table in good faith immediately to work together on a path forward to reopen schools and support both educators and students in Sheridan.”

The strike, the first major educator walkout in Colorado since 2019, has shuttered classrooms across the small district southwest of Denver, with many families choosing not to cross picket lines as negotiations stall.

The Colorado Education Association (CEA) is backing the Sheridan Educator Association’s (SEA) demands, particularly around the district’s Policy H, which does not currently allow both teachers and classified staff to be recognized under the same union.


Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Shelly Blakely joins members of the Sheridan Educators Association on a picket line outside of Alice Terry Elementary School on the first day of a strike. April 1, 2026.

Read more: https://www.cpr.org/2026/04/14/polis-urges-end-to-sheridan-strike/