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Teachers and classified staff press board on pay and health benefits as MOU approvals move forward
Summary
Public commenters representing teachers and CSEA urged the board to improve health and welfare benefits and compensation. The board approved a memorandum of understanding with the teachers’ association and a tentative agreement with CSEA on the nominal fee schedule.
Members of Apple Valley Unified’s classified and certificated workforce used the April 10 meeting to urge trustees to improve pay and health benefits while nearing formal approvals of negotiated items.
Brad Cura, speaking for CSEA chapter leadership, told trustees that employees were hopeful after bargaining but warned that asking staff to accept a ''subpar health plan'' would undercut retention. "I urge you to direct the district to move closer to our request for a fully funded plan comparable to Kaiser," he said during the public-comment period.
Teacher speakers, including Candace James of Vanguard Preparatory, described cuts to instructional coaches and the financial pressure driving staff to neighboring districts where salaries may be higher. "I love this district," James said. "But unless we address the financial reality, we're going to lose exactly the people whose students need us most."
Board action: The trustees approved a memorandum of understanding with the Apple Valley Unified Teachers Association (AVUTA) dated March 10, 2025 regarding health and welfare benefits and approved a tentative agreement with the California School Employees Association (CSEA) Chapter 828 dated Feb. 7, 2025 related to the 2024–25 nominal fee schedule. Those items were reported as approved after the closed-session labor conferences.
Why it matters: The agreements and the public testimony reflect pressure on the district to hold wages and benefits competitive to retain teachers, paraeducators and classified staff at a time of constrained budgets.
What’s next: Staff will implement the approved MOU language and update the district’s benefits administration for the 2025–26 plan year as specified in the agreements; wage negotiations and further salary discussions are expected to continue.
Vote: The MOU and tentative agreement were presented as approved by the board during the meeting’s closed-session report; motions and seconds were recorded in the minutes and the clerk reported the approvals to the public.
