San Diego

SDUSD Teachers Reach Tentative Agreement on 3-Year Contract

A teachers union spokesperson said paid maternity leave will be offered for the first time to San Diego Unified educators

Teachers working in the San Diego Unified School District have reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract, a San Diego Education Association spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. A teachers union spokesperson said paid maternity leave will be offered for the first time to San Diego Unified educators.

"I'm thrilled that we have a tentative agreement with our teachers, nurses, and counselors to provide a quality education for all of our students," Kevin Beiser, President San Diego Unified School Board said.

The agreement was reached at 1:40 a.m. Wednesday. 

The district released details including a 2-percent raise in the 2018-2019 school year with staggered payments: 1 percent to be paid July 1 and 1 percent to be paid by February 2019.

There will also be a one-time 1-percent payment made on August 1 to members of the teachers union. 

A 3-week maternity leave will be included in the contract for those union members who have worked in the district for at least one year. SDEA president Lindsay Burningham said this is the first time SDUSD educators will be eligible for paid maternity leave.

Also, there will be access to the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program for permanent and probationary union members.

Before Tuesday's bargaining session, the teachers union had shared their most recent offer with members. 

It included a 2 percent one-time payment for the 2017 - 2018 school year with an additional 2.5 percent raise effective July 1, 2018, three weeks of maternity leave and caps on class sizes at 36 students for secondary schools and 34 students for 4-6 classes with 24:1 for TK-3 grades. 

In December, trustees approved $47 million in broad cuts. School officials sent a survey to parents in January asking parents to weigh in on what services are considered priorities.

SDUSD tried to cut $124 million from their $1.4 billion operating budget last year.  Most of the money came from cuts to employees. The district issued more than 1,500 layoff notices and offered early retirement options that attracted 1,100 people. 

There are 850 fewer people employed in the district in the 2017-2018 school year. 

Employee salaries cost the district's general fund $65 million less this year but employee benefits rose by $32.4 million partly due to the early retirement incentive paid out over 5 years.

Get more on the district's budget in this SD Explained report.

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