Averting a potential teachers’ strike, members of the San Diego Education Association approved a new contract with the San Diego Unified School District, the district announced Monday.
According to district officials, the contract is “historic” and includes a 15% pay increase, six weeks of birthing parent or maternity leave, and maintains fully paid family healthcare coverage.
Other benefits include an increased number of elementary counselors, protection of nursing services, more elementary enrichment classes for students, and a focus on special education teachers’ workload, district officials said.
Members voted on the pact at district schools and the union office during the first week of June.
More counseling staff and guaranteed nursing access for students are included in the contract “as the district continues to navigate post-pandemic educational challenges,” officials said.
“This new contract will help us attract and retain some of the best educators in the county while enhancing the services we provide our students,” Sarah Darr, a union leader and senior speech language pathologist, said in a statement.
Superintendent Lamont Jackson said the district and the union “reached this historic contract agreement because of respectful work and collaboration.”
“Our partnership with SDEA is built on respect, shared goals and a commitment to foster a learning environment where all teachers and staff are supported so all students can thrive,” Jackson said.
Board President Sabrina Bazzo said the agreement “honors the work and dedication of our teachers and staff, while also allowing us to recruit and retain the best and brightest employees to San Diego Unified.
The San Diego Community Schools Coalition — a group of parents and other community partners — participated in the bargaining effort, officials said.
Officials added the contract “establishes a partnership between the district, parents, educators, students, administrators and school communities to determine what after-school programming should look like at their schools.”
The previous union contract expired on June 30, 2022. Effective until June 30, 2025, the new contract will allow limited bargaining negotiations next year, officials said.
The district’s Board of Education is scheduled vote on ratifying the contract at its regular meeting on June 20.