Negotiators for the Anoka-Hennepin School District and its teachers union will meet with a state mediator on March 27, the district announced Wednesday.

Union representatives voted this week to take a strike vote April 17, but the school board said in a statement it remains optimistic about and committed to negotiating a settlement with teachers.

Anoka-Hennepin is the state's largest school district. The teachers union and district have been negotiating since May. The union says it is seeking salaries on par with the average pay for teachers in the metro area but is also asking for changes in benefits that would prove more attractive to younger teachers.

Paul Levy