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The San Ramon Valley Unified School District’s Board of Education is set this month to consider a tentative agreement reached between the district and its teachers union on proposed budget cuts and layoffs following months of stalled negotiations.
The move comes following the Contra Costa County Office of Education’s downgrading of the district’s financial status last month from “positive” to “qualified,” kicking off a process that increased pressure on both sides to reach an agreement amid a potentially dire financial outlook if no deal was struck.
Negotiations between district management and SRVEA had previously been stalled since February, when the district declared an impasse in negotiations and SRVEA filed an unfair labor practice charge against the district for allegedly failing to bargain in good faith.
“Both parties acknowledge and understand that budget reductions are somber, and neither party has any interest in reducing services to students or negatively impacting staff,” Superintendent CJ Cammack said in an April 29 announcement on the tentative agreement that was reached April 28. “Throughout the process, the negotiation teams acknowledge that this agreement reflects an understanding that we must address our fiscal condition in SRVUSD while working to provide programs and services that meet the needs of our students.”
The agreement seeks to address what had been two sticking points for SRVEA negotiators – the possibility of a block grant from the state that could be used to fund some positions on the chopping block for the next school year, and an early retirement incentive that SRVEA representatives said district management had failed to give fair consideration to.
“As educators, our instinct is to protect our students,” SRVEA President Laura Finco said. “Throughout these negotiations, we remained focused on ensuring our students would not be hurt. No one disagrees: cuts hurt our kids. While we were able to come to agreement, it is not without a cost. We remain committed to ensuring the fiscal solvency of the district and are hopeful that future solutions can restore what our students have lost. We will work together to pursue a better outcome for our kids.”
The tentative agreement is currently pending ratification by SRVEA, after which it would head to a vote by the Board of Education if approved.
Under the tentative agreement, the district is set to offer an early retirement incentive, and funds from the proposed block grant – should it go into effect with some anticipated provisions – are set to be used to restore previously eliminated positions and maintain some class sizes for the upcoming school year. That includes four social worker positions and class sizes for fourth and fifth grade, as well as one half of a full-time counselor position for each of the 22 elementary school sites.
The deal also consists of some restorations and promises to mitigate classroom impacts outside of the block grant. High school teacher librarian positions are set to be restored under the agreement, with four middle school student support counselor positions set to be maintained.
Although class sizes for fourth and fifth grade are set to be capped at an average of 31 students, up to two additional students may be allowed in some classes. After 10 consecutive days of a class size exceeding 31 students, teachers would be paid an additional 37.5% of their hourly rate per school day.
While the tentative agreement addresses some points of contention between district management and the teachers union during earlier negotiations, it also includes three furlough days over the next two school years for employees represented by SRVEA, and a provision to discuss furlough days for the 2027-28 school year during the development of the instructional calendar for that period.
Under the agreement, the two parties would hold annual meetings to discuss the district’s financial condition and the possibility of restoring some previously axed positions or eliminating furlough days.
If approved by the board, the tentative agreement would be in effect through the 2027 to 2028 school year. The board is set for a special meeting Friday (May 9) to discuss and vote on a final layoff resolution for classified and certificated staff ahead of its regular meeting on May 13.
Perhaps someone can explain what the new “early retirement incentive is, and why it is good “for the children”. On the surface, it seems odd to simultaneously encourage (ie., give money to) more teachers to retire, while also trying to use block grants to restore previously eliminated positions. Of course, new-hire teachers aren’t paid quite as much, but it does seem like the district is not placing much value on highly experienced teachers…