Escondido Union trustees vote to raise monthly stipend to $2,000 despite widespread staff opposition

The Escondido Union School District board approved an amendment under Assembly Bill 1390 that raises trustee stipends up to the statutory cap cited at the meeting of $2,000 per month, a decision that drew sustained public opposition from teachers, paraeducators and union leaders.

Speakers during a lengthy public-comment period repeatedly urged the board to delay or scale a raise while the district is trimming positions and negotiating modest wage increases for frontline staff. The local CSEA chapter president said, "A $2,000 monthly stipend in addition to benefits does not reflect the spirit of public service," and several teachers described hourly pay rates and repeated staffing shortages in classrooms.

Board members debated the motion before the vote. Trustee Doug said he would vote no, citing fairness to low-paid classified staff and the arithmetic of long-term pay gaps, while other trustees argued that raising the stipend could broaden the candidate pool and enable community members without independent means to serve. After discussion the motion passed 4-1.

The superintendent's office framed the item as implementation of AB 1390 and an amendment to board bylaws; staff said the change aligns local bylaws with the Education Code provision allowing higher stipends. The board did not tie the increase to a specific timeline for implementation beyond adoption of the bylaw amendment at the meeting.

The vote followed more than an hour of community testimony calling for alternatives, including a phased increase tied to cost-of-living adjustments or parity with negotiated employee raises. The board did not announce an immediate offsetting budget reduction to cover the additional stipend cost during the meeting; some speakers estimated annual cost impacts in the low six figures. The board approved the amendment by recorded voice and roll-call as passing 4 to 1.