SEATTLE — Thousands of Seattle teachers marched on picket lines Wednesday, striking for the first time in three decades amid increasing complaints that their salaries have not kept up with the city’s booming tech economy.

The walkout, which began on what was supposed to be the first day of school, comes as teachers in Seattle have gone six years without a cost-of-living increase, and many say they are scrambling to afford housing in a city where living expenses are rapidly increasing.

Teachers at West Seattle Elementary School begin walking a picket line Wednesday morning in Seattle after last-minute negotiations over wages and other issues failed to avert a strike in Washington state’s largest school district. The Associated Press

The strike adds to other education crises in Washington state. Lawmakers are facing increasing pressure to boost funding for K-12 education after the state Supreme Court said they failed to adequately pay for schooling for 1 million children. Justices are fining the state $100,000 a day until it comes up with a fix. The court has also ruled that the state’s charter schools are unconstitutional.

At an afternoon news conference, Seattle Public Schools spokeswoman Stacy Howard said they’re still at an impasse and there will be no school on Thursday for the district’s 53,000 students. They plan to be back at the negotiation table on Thursday morning, she said.

“We are hopeful we will have a swift resolution so our teachers and students can get back to school,” she said.

Both sides were far apart on pay raises, teacher evaluations and the length of the school day.

“It’s really the younger generation that is having issues with having a place to live in the city,” said teacher Janine Magidman, who was walking the picket line at Roosevelt High School. “The cost of living is just ridiculous.”

Teacher salaries range from about $44,000 to more than $86,000 for more experienced educators with advanced degrees, according to the district.

Seattle Public Schools has offered a pay increase of nearly 9 percent over three years, and the union countered with a 10.5 percent increase over two years. Phyllis Campano, the union’s vice president, said the district came back with a proposal that the union “couldn’t take seriously.”

Amanda Poch, a 31-year-old kindergarten teacher at West Seattle Elementary, said she was “incredibly disappointed” that talks broke down.

“We’ll hold out as long as it takes,” Poch said as she pieced together picket signs.

The strike could be a test case for educators across the country, a national union leader said.

The teachers are fighting for reasonable testing policies, a fair discipline policy and time to prepare for class each day, said Lily Eskelsen Garcia, president of the National Education Association.

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