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Teachers, specialists press Mt. Diablo Unified board for higher pay, smaller classes and more support
Summary
Dozens of Mount Diablo Unified teachers, therapists and parents urged the school board to negotiate a contract that reduces class sizes, raises pay and increases special-education and health staffing. Speakers described high caseloads, program disruptions and recruitment challenges.
Dozens of teachers, speech‑language pathologists, nurses and parents addressed the Mt. Diablo Unified School District Board of Education during public comment on Sept. 10, urging the board and district negotiators to reach a contract that lowers class sizes, increases pay and expands support staff.
The comments were led by classroom teachers and district specialists who described large class sizes, heavy workloads and difficulty recruiting and retaining staff. Azara (Ezra) Coco Contreras, a speech‑language pathologist at Pleasant Hill Elementary, told the board the SLP workload is unsustainable and called for a workload model and enforcement aligned with professional standards: “We need to change from a caseload limit of 55 and change to a workload model, which is enforced by the American Speech Hearing Association.”
Several elementary teachers and parents said kindergarten and lower‑grade classes exceed neighboring districts’ caps. Alana Greenblatt Becker, a speech therapist and parent, compared MDUSD kindergarten caps to nearby districts and said MDUSD’s cap of 31 is higher than Martinez and San Ramon (each 24) and Walnut Creek (25). “I ask the board and Dr. Clark to please reconsider their offer of class size reduction. Our children's education is at stake,” she said.
Teachers also criticized the district’s public communications about bargaining. Becca Machado, an eighth‑grade teacher at Sequoia Middle, criticized the district for “propagating misleading information to make us sound unrealistic” and asked for more respectful public messaging during negotiations.
Multiple speakers described operational effects they link to staffing shortages: Christina (credentialed school nurse) said the district’s nurse‑to‑student ratio remains about 1:2,400 and described recent incidents requiring emergency response; Nancy Bennett, an SLP with 21 years in the district, presented a breakdown showing SLPs’ actual workload substantially exceeded contracted hours and said the disparity forces unpaid overtime and burnout; several music teachers and librarians said expanded daily assignments (nine classes per day for some music teachers) eliminated time for extracurricular programs such as choir.
Union and labor representatives framed the comments as collective concerns. Joshua Anadjar, executive director of the Contra Costa Labor Council, and Kelly Kick, president of the Contra Costa Labor Council and a UFCW member, expressed solidarity with the bargaining unit and urged the board to “bargain fairly” and provide a living wage.
Board members did not take policy action during the public‑comment period. Several trustees and Superintendent Clark acknowledged the speakers and later discussed budget constraints and multi‑year projections during the meeting’s budget item.
Ending: Public commenters asked the board to continue negotiations in good faith and to prioritize classroom conditions and retention; the board heard these statements as part of a broader meeting that included separate votes on district contracts, facilities work and certification of the district’s 2024–25 unaudited actuals.
