Letters in Solidarity - Developing Our Vision for Strong Schools

As we somehow move closer to 2024(!), SDEA union educators are ramping up our input process for our reopener contract negotiations and getting ready to finalize the priorities that will guide bargaining with the District starting in February. Reopener negotiations are mid-contract discussions to adjust limited items in our 3-year contract which runs until June 2025. SDEA elected leaders at every school and program are convening union meetings and SDEA members will provide feedback on 4 key areas that will be bargained: wages, transfers, evaluations and housing.

Last school year, an overwhelming majority of SDEA members voted to approve our new contract. This contract contains a 15% wage increase over two years, the largest 2-year increase in over 30 years. On top of the massive pay improvements, the contract includes significant new rights for elementary enrichment and prep time, special education workload, parental leaves, counselor staffing and secondary PE class sizes. All of this was made possible through 1) our collective organizing efforts last school year with thousands of SDEA union educators mobilizing during our contract campaign, 2) our partnership with the SDEA-endorsed pro-educator and pro-public education SDUSD school board and 3) California’s unprecedented tax revenue that is projected to decrease to historic norms for next school year.

A critical financial support for our district the last few years has been federal COVID relief funds. These will be expiring at the end of this school year and will result in a $160 million cut to the district’s budget. Positions that have been fully or partially funded through this federal revenue include Resident Visiting Teachers, Health Techs and Assistant Principals. Student enrollment and attendance has seen a precipitous decline since the beginning of the pandemic and the District will need to make difficult financial decisions in the coming months to balance staffing for next school year. District leadership has committed to prioritizing positions of those working closest with students during the budgeting process and we must continue to advocate as SDEA union educators for the strong schools that SDUSD families deserve.

Our reopener contract campaign will be our first opportunity to continue the momentum from last school year and finish what we started by organizing together to strengthen our schools. The campaign starts with our Bargaining Input Sessions which will inform the demands in our SDEA vision for schools that support student success. Ask your site/program union rep when your school’s Bargaining Input Session is – then be there and weigh in!