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Parents and teachers tell Natomas Unified board vacancies, safety and contract offers are driving staff departures
Summary
Multiple public commenters and teachers told the board of high resignation counts, unfilled positions and safety incidents; speakers questioned the district's public staffing figures and urged more competitive pay and better safety supports.
Parents and teachers used public comment to press trustees on staffing, safety and contract negotiations, saying vacancies and low offers are undermining classroom safety and teacher retention.
A parent and community organizer told the board the district is "struggling" and alleged more than 60 teachers resigned last year with 22 full-time positions still unfilled. "This district is not struggling because of bad luck or outside forces. No. It is struggling because of deliberate decisions made by leadership," the commenter said. Several teachers and parents described incidents they tied to staffing shortages, including a child who left campus and was found off-site; one classroom teacher said gates' alarms were removed and only reinstalled after the incident.
Teachers in public comment also described tight personal finances and low contract offers. "My current gross income is roughly $6,700 a month. And take home after that is less than $2,800... Our current offer is 2.2% pay increase and only $150 more towards family health care," one teacher said, and urged trustees to consider that failing to pay competitively will push educators out of the district. Public commenters called for transparency on vacancy counts and asked the district to acknowledge staffing gaps and present a corrective plan. The district reiterated willingness to receive evidence and said legal counsel had been asked to review a recording alleged to contain board remarks.
