Welcome Back!
I hope that you had time to rest and recharge this summer! I am proud to be the president of SDEA and stand alongside over 6,000 fellow union educators in SDUSD. Together, we have the power to enforce our historic new contract. This isn’t just about us, though. It’s about those brains we’re shaping every day – our students. The way we work and teach directly affects how they learn, so having solid working conditions means better learning conditions for them. Through our collective efforts, we’re creating a win-win situation for students and educators alike.
YOU are a crucial part of what makes our union strong. You’re not just some extra in the background – you ARE SDEA! Our collective power is the sum of the contributions of each and every one of us. Remember that the next time you’re in the classroom sharing your skills, knowledge and passion with those young minds. You’re an essential part of this incredible union!
So here’s to you, to us, and to the momentous achievements that we’re going to accomplish together this school year!
Pay Day: Retroactive Raises Won in our Contract Being Distributed!
Today, the District began distributing retroactive pay for the 10% salary increase from last school year (2022-23). The retro pay will be separate from the regular pay for August.
This increase was achieved through our collective organizing efforts at school sites and within the community. Additionally, SDEA members secured a 5% raise for this current school year, which, when compounded with the 10% raise from last year, totals a 15.5% increase. This new rate came into effect on July 1 and is reflected in the July paychecks for those on 12-pay schedules. For those receiving 10 paychecks annually, the 15.5% increase will be applied starting with August paychecks. These raises not only benefit us, they are also crucial for attracting the best educators to our district.
Please note that union members on a 10-pay schedule will now receive their paychecks from August through May, a change from the previous calendar of September through June. This adjustment was made during last year’s contract negotiations due to the school year’s altered start and end dates.
See the SDEA 2022-2025 Contract Summary for more information on wages and numerous other improvements that will be implemented starting this school year including:
- Extending maternity leave to 6 weeks to support our educators during a pivotal time in their lives. This matches the best maternity leave program amongst school districts throughout the county.
- Continued fully paid family healthcare coverage. This also is the highest standard in SD County school districts.
- Increased counselor staffing and the protection of nursing services, enabling us to address the growing mental and physical health needs of our students.
- Expanded elementary enrichment classes which enhance the educational experience for our youngest learners, while also providing additional prep time for our elementary classroom teachers.
- Enshrining 2 teachers in every transitional kindergarten classroom and lowering secondary PE class size, which will allow for more individualized support for students.
- Addressing the workload concerns of special education staff with the alleviation of private school assessments from our plates.
Our new contract and the organizing we did to win it is a testament to the collective power of our union and to our commitment to win the schools and communities our students deserve. Together, we’ve achieved one of the strongest union contracts in our state!
Fund the Fight to Maintain a Pro-Public Education School Board
The SDUSD School Board is a vital partner that made our new contract possible and is committed to expanding the resources available to our schools. Despite well-financed opposition from anti-public education groups, our SDEA-endorsed candidates triumphed in the SDUSD School Board election last year. This success was driven by coordinated SDEA efforts, backed by a robust Political Action Committee (PAC) fund.
Starting with the primaries later this school year, a majority of the school board’s members will be up for re-election. SDEA endorsed school board members – Sabrina Bazzo, Richard Barrera, and Dr. Sharon Whitehurst-Payne – are all seeking re-election. Continued backing from SDEA members is crucial to ensure that our endorsed candidates succeed. If you’re not already a contributor to the PAC fund supporting our pro-union and pro-public education school board, you can sign up here.
TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER!
Kyle Weinberg, SDEA President
