Improved Pay in our Tentative Agreement: What, Who, & When
Preparing to negotiate our next contract, SDEA members identified priorities in three main categories: Staffing, Pay, and Stability. Here’s some of the ways that pay will improve for SDEA educators if we ratify our tentative agreement:
| What: | Who: | When: |
| A 5% raise over two years | All unit members (plus other District employees with “Me Too” clauses, like classified staff) |
These raises will be paid once the District receives the state funding owed to them. See more in the TA on Article 7, and calculate what that raise would look like for you here. |
| Monthly Penalty Payment for Ed Specialists Over Caseload Limits | Ed. Specialists:
Mild/Moderate/MMSN, Moderate/Severe/ESN, & Mild/Moderate/MMSN Special Day Class |
Current school year: The District is compiling a list of educators who qualify. If the agreement is ratified, payments will be made within one payroll cycle after the list is finalized.
Going forward: Payments will be issued the month after a caseload exceeds the contractual limit… to incentivize the District to address SpEd staffing quickly rather than saving money by overloading educators and then delaying grievance settlements. See more in the TA on Article 29 & more about the SpEd fixes in the TA |
| Pending Caseload Grievance Settlement Payments | Ed Specialists who were overloaded beyond caseload limits during the last two school years (2023–24 and 2024–25) | The District is preparing a list of impacted members. Once available, a unionwide message will be sent so members can review and appeal if needed. |
| Restored ECE TK Stipend | ECE Teachers assigned to a TK classroom | Retroactive to July 1, 2025 and moving forward, eligible teachers will receive the lead teacher stipend to help close the pay gap with Multiple Subject co-teachers. |
Looking for details on how this applies to individual situations? Check our FAQ first!
Your vote: On your next contract AND your union leadership!
Right now, these pay improvements are tentative as part of our tentative agreement. To actually implement these changes, SDEA members need to VOTE! Currently there are two votes in progress:
| 2025-2027 Contract Ratification | SDEA Spring Leadership Elections | |
| 🗳️ What you’re voting on | Whether to ratify our new union contract and implement the tentative agreement | Who will represent you in union leadership positions (Officers, Board, CTA State Council, NEA-RA delegates) |
| 🗳️ How to vote | In person at your school or program’s union meeting, or at the SDEA office during business hours if you’re not assigned to a site (VTs, members on leave, etc.) | Online via Simply Voting, using the ballot sent to your personal email on March 9. |
| 🗳️ When to vote | Voting began on February 26 at meetings scheduled by each site or program’s representatives. All paper ballots are due to the SDEA office by March 23 at 5 PM. | Voting began March 9 at 6 AM and closes March 20 at 5 PM. |
| 🗳️ Resources | Attend your next union meeting and access a variety of resources online | See full timeline, information, and a voter guide |
- Only SDEA members can vote! Not a member? Join now!
- Questions? Reach out to the SDEA Elections Committee at sdeaelections@sdea.net or call (619) 283-4411.
Our voices at the state level: Extend Prop 55!
Remember, the reason for all the contingency language about when we get our raises and the reason we’re always fighting for the basics is because of bigger picture education funding. That’s why it’s critical to extend Proposition 55. Without it, California public schools face $14.6 billion in cuts which would disappear overnight if Prop 55 isn’t extended.
To be clear, Prop 55 is an extension of the personal income tax rates voters already approved in 2016, and it only applies to couples earning over $700K. This existing funding stream is what has been supporting our schools… and we can’t afford to lose it!
SDEA reps have been collecting signatures at union meetings, and union educators across the state are doing the same. We can’t win local improvements while losing statewide funding!
🗳️ Vote. Sign. Participate.
Being part of a democracy means that YOU have a voice: Negotiating and voting on a contract, deciding on who represents you, and prioritizing how our public resources are used. Like any democracy, our union is stronger when everyone participates! Show up. Talk to your colleagues. Vote. Participate.
