The Beyond Recovery Platform was developed by UTLA educators in partnership with students, parents, and community members and approved by an overwhelming 96% of UTLA members. Last spring, The 85-member UTLA bargaining team brought our Beyond Recovery contract proposals to LAUSD.
While Carvalho and the district spent the past year ignoring and undermining educators, students, and parents, UTLA members fought for a fair contract that meets the urgent needs of today and builds a strong foundation for public schools. We picketed, rallied, and walked the line in a historic Solidarity Strike with SEIU Local 99 to demand respect for all education workers.
On April 18, 2023, the UTLA member bargaining team reached a tentative agreement with the district for a 2022-2025 contract that makes significant progress for educators and students. The contract was ratified by members with a 94% yes vote on May 5, 2023.
Every win in this agreement is because of the power we demonstrated in the streets.
This agreement builds on what was won since our 2019 Strike and reflects the expansion of the UTLA bargaining team to 85 members representing every corner of UTLA at the bargaining table.
Our collective actions to stand up for our students needing the most support pushed the district beyond the typical scope of bargaining. This Agreement is ground-breaking for public education nationwide.
LAUSD is facing an educator shortage crisis with close to 4,000 vacancies reported in December and 70% of educators reporting they are considering leaving the profession altogether. This agreement adds more student support positions and salary increases to fully staff our schools.
LAUSD educators earn over 20% less than the average person holding a bachelor’s degree. With skyrocketing costs of living in Los Angeles, 2 in 3 LAUSD educators can’t afford to live where they teach and 28% are forced to work a second job. A significant salary increase and improvements to working conditions will attract new educators and allow educators to continue working in LAUSD.
Building on wins for enforceable class-size limits from our 2019 Strike, we won a class-size reduction in all grades at every school so students can get more individualized instruction and support. Over the next three years, class size averages and maximums will be reduced by two students.
During our 2019 Strike, UTLA members demanded that LAUSD recognize and write Special Education into our contract as its own subject of bargaining for the first time. We built on that win by fighting for more enforcement and support in our contract for Special Education classes.
In our fight for a contract agreement, UTLA members held strong for our students needing the most support.
The agreement establishes a Climate Curriculum Implementation Task Force to plan actions to respond to the climate crisis with an equity and racial justice lens including:
