Educators vote to approve contract with San Diego Unified School District
By SDCN Editor
San Diego, CA–The union educator members of the San Diego Education Association (SDEA) concluded voting on a historic new contract with the San Diego Unified School District.
Voting was held at district schools and the SDEA office during the first week of June.
After over a year of contract negotiations, SDEA members voted to approve a contract that notably includes a 15 percent pay increase, six weeks of birthing parent or maternity leave, maintains fully paid family healthcare coverage, increases elementary counselors, protects nursing services, increases elementary enrichment classes for students, and addresses special education teachers’ workload.
Increasing counseling staff and guaranteeing nursing access for students are some of the contract’s highlights, as the district continues to navigate post-pandemic educational challenges.
“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,” SDEA leader and Senior Speech Language Pathologist Sarah Darr said.
The San Diego Community Schools Coalition, a group of parents and other community partners, collaborated in the bargaining effort. The outcome was a new article in the SDEA contract that establishes a partnership between the district, parents, educators, students, administrators, and school communities to determine what afterschool programming should look like at their schools.
“We have reached this historic contract agreement because of respectful work and collaboration,” Superintendent Dr. Lamont Jackson said. “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.”
The Board of Education is set to vote on ratifying the contract at its regularly scheduled meeting on June 20.
“This 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,” Board President Sabrina Bazzo said.
The previous contract expired on June 30, 2022. The new contract will be in place until June 30, 2025, with limited bargaining reopeners in 2024.
