GENEVA – The Geneva Education Association declared an impasse today in contract talks with Geneva School District 304 officials.

According to a statement from Superintendent Kent Mutchler, a declaration of impasse means teachers have concluded that nothing can be gained by future negotiations.

Mutchler said this is disheartening while the school board has remained steadfast in its commitment to negotiating in good faith and coming to a fair and reasonable agreement.

The earliest date a strike could occur is Nov. 9.

A declaration of impasse does not necessarily mean that a strike will occur. If teachers vote to strike, they may not walk out until 14 days after the best and final offers from both sides are posted, and they would have to give the district a 10-day notice of their intent to strike.

With the declaration of an impasse, the district will make its final offer to the teachers union and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board by Oct. 19. 

The offer will be posted on the Geneva School District website www.geneva304.org and the laborboard website www.illinois.gov/elrb on or about Oct. 26.