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Parents and WFA representatives urge higher teacher pay as negotiations continue
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Summary
Teachers, PTA leaders and community members urged the Wiseburn Unified board to approve a salary increase larger than the district’s proposed 1%, citing rising costs and comparable settlements in neighboring districts.
Parents, teachers and a union representative pressed the Wiseburn Unified School District board on Feb. 12 to approve more competitive pay for classroom educators as contract talks continue.
Edith Garcia, PTA president at Aviation Elementary, said a 1% salary increase "is a slap in the face" to educators and would not keep pace with rising living costs. She urged the board to find resources used for administrative increases and redirect them to classroom staff to improve retention.
Deborah Davis, speaking for the Wiseburn Faculty Association (WFA), told trustees that negotiations began in October and that tentative agreements exist on many contract articles. "At the start of the negotiations, we were offered a 1% salary increase even though COLA is 2.41," Davis said, and she cited recent agreements in neighboring districts (Redondo Beach and Lenox) as comparables when urging a stronger ongoing raise.
Trustees acknowledged the comments and thanked speakers for attending. Several board members said they understand the tension between budget constraints and the need to retain teachers. The superintendent and staff noted that district LCFF funding increased last year and that state budget proposals have reduced projected COLA from 3.02% to 2.41%, which affects district revenue projections.
Board members and the superintendent said the district will continue bargaining in good faith and review budget options. No formal salary action was taken at the meeting; WFA and the board continue to negotiate and expect further discussions before any ratified agreement is finalized.
