21% Raise, Smaller Class Sizes, and Student Support Staffing Among Significant Changes 

LOS ANGELES — In a victory for educators, students, and families, the expanded 85-member United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) bargaining team has reached a tentative agreement with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) for a new three-year contract from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2025. This success comes after 11 months at the bargaining table and an 8-month democratic process in which UTLA members and the community identified collective priorities and spent a year of intense collective action to force LAUSD to agree to the tentative proposals outlined below. 

“With this tentative agreement, LAUSD now has an opportunity to become one of the most successful school districts in the country. We held the line during bargaining on a number of initiatives because educators are the experts on what has the ability to transform LAUSD into a more equitable environment that not only improves students’ learning, but also the quality of life for LA families,” said UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz. “Smaller class sizes will give our kids the attention and care they require, and competitive salaries will ensure our schools can successfully hire, retain and develop successful teachers and educators to mold our young leaders of tomorrow.”

Throughout bargaining, LAUSD families, teachers, staff  and allies remained deeply committed to  addressing systemic issues that fail low-income students and contribute to the teacher shortage. By holding the district accountable through school site pickets, boycotts of afterschool faculty meetings, a 60,000-member joint rally with SEIU 99, and near 100% participation in the 3-day solidarity strike, UTLA demonstrated its strike readiness to the district. 

“We’re extremely proud of the progress we made and we sincerely hope school districts across the country are able to envision what’s possible when educators and student families are viewed as partners, not obstacles,” Myart-Cruz added.

The 2022-2025 agreement includes a 21% salary increase for all UTLA members, an overall class size reduction by two students, and increased support for the Black Student Achievement Program (BSAP) and Community Schools. The parties have also agreed to centrally district funded psychiatric social workers, appointment of a college counselor to every high school with at least 900 students, and increased school psychologist services into the contract. Additional improvements in teacher working conditions, enhanced pay for substitutes, support for immigrant students and families, and enforceable class size caps for special education are included in the agreement. The UTLA board recommends members vote yes on approving the tentative agreement 

Arlene Inouye, UTLA Bargaining Co-chair and Secretary, and member of UTLA, said, “Our tireless and unyielding negotiations team endured more than 30 sessions during school days, nights, and weekends to not only to win a contract that benefits all LAUSD staff and families, but also empower teachers to not tolerate disrespect and nominal wages. Educators have always put their livelihoods on the line to ensure student success, and this tentative agreement illustrates our hard-fought commitment to making our schools a place where both faculty and students can thrive.” 

Some of the others line items UTLA successfully moved LAUSD to agree on include:

  • A new school registered nurse salary table with an increase of $20,000 at each step.
  • Creation, expansion and maintenance of greenspaces including outdoor education spaces and programs
  • $3000 Increase for Psychologists, PSA counselors, and audiologists, Optometrist, Social Workers, Speech and Language Pathologists
  • Salary differentials for educators teaching in dual language programs:
    • Full time: UTK-5/6 grade up to $5,400 ($2700 per semester)
    • Secondary: Up to half time get $2,700, more than half time get up to $5,400
  • First-ever enforceable Special Education caseload caps and reductions

UTLA will continue to advocate for any and all priorities that did not make the agreement and vows to push the district to fully adopt the Beyond Recovery Platform that will make further key improvements. Approximately 35,000 teachers, nurses, counselors, and educational staff will be eligible to vote on the agreement in ratification votes to be scheduled in the coming weeks. The UTLA member bargaining team believes this agreement will bring the school district a significant step towards equitable compensation, fully-staffed schools, sustainable access to academic opportunity for all students, and more. 

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About United Teachers Los Angeles

UTLA is nearly 35,000 educators in Los Angeles dedicated to ensuring equity in public education, upholding educators’ rights, advancing the well-being of students, and strengthening our communities.