The Advocate

Feb 26, 2026 Issue

When We Get Strike-Ready, We Win! “Today, February 26, 2026, we were set to be on strike… We won the demands in our SDEA bargaining platform by coordinating our campaign with our We Can’t Wait union sibling locals across the state and getting strike-ready for the first time in 30 years in our district! ” Read more in Letters in Solidarity!

If ratified, our new contract will deliver improved staffing and supports, improved pay, and more stability for students and communities. Review a highlight flyer and get ready to VOTE in person at your next union meeting, or at the SDEA office if you’re not assigned to a site. This contract will apply to everyone, but only members can vote on it… so join SDEA if you are not yet a member!

At the bargaining table, SDEA members negotiated a wide variety of changes to our contract. See a detailed summary to learn more about exactly what will improve if you vote to ratify this contract!

If ratified, our contract will include a 2.5% raise for this 2025-26 school year (retroactive to July 1, 2025) and another 2.5% in the 2026-27 school year. See what that will look like in your paycheck with our calculator spreadsheet: Click here to make a copy and calculate your raise!

See answers to frequently asked questions about our contract tentative agreement! This is a living doc which will be updated as more questions arise as members discuss this at union meetings across the District.

IFT Grant Applications Are Open! Apply now for the Institute for Teaching (IFT) Educator Grant Program and bring your ideas to life for the 2026-2027 school year. Learn more here and apply by April 2!