Update On Negotiations For Adding Instructional Days

e-Connections Post

Dear SCUSD Families:

Our district is continuing to negotiate with the Sacramento City Teachers’ Association (SCTA) to address how we will make up for the learning time that our students lost during the recent strike. Our district has proposed to extend the 2021-22 academic calendar to recover most of the instructional days and minutes our students lost.

While the District and SCTA appear to have general agreement on extending minimum days and extending the school year through June 24, we have not yet reached an agreement that would assure our schools will be adequately staffed to safely open and serve students on these additional days.

The District has asked for some limitations on the use of personal leave by staff in order to plan for normal operations at school sites on the added days. Without some limitations on the use of personal paid leave, the District will be unable to properly plan and appropriately staff classrooms and schools during added instructional days.

  • Initial proposals from the district passed to SCTA on April 20 and on April 25 contained provisions that would require all staff to attend work on the added days unless a leave had been pre-approved or for valid medical reasons.
     
  • On May 4, the District passed a proposal to SCTA with a provision that no more than 20% of certificated staff at any single school site be granted approved leaves of absence during the extended period. 
     
  • On Monday, May 9, the District made a fourth proposal to SCTA which increased that allowance for approved leaves of absence to 25%. 
     
  • On Thursday, May 12, the District passed a new proposal to SCTA that would increase the percentage to 30%.
     
  • The District’s most recent proposal also modified language regarding the District’s liability for tax and retirement consequences to address concerns raised by SCTA.

The District’s latest proposal would ensure that:

  • SCUSD students recovere valuable classroom learning time lost during the strike.
     
  • Schools will be sufficiently staffed to safely open and provide meaningful instruction on added days.
     
  • SCTA unit members will avoid forfeiting salary for the 8 days missed during the strike.
     
  • SCTA unit members will work enough days to receive a full year of CalSTRS service credit and will avoid the potential impact on their retirement planning.
     
  • The district will avoid incurring much of the approximately $47 million in penalties for not providing the minimum instructional days and minutes required by the state.

We recognize that families want certainty about the district calendar in order to make plans for summer break. We are working with SCTA to resolve this in a way that best serves our students. We hope to be able to announce a final decision about the school calendar soon.