Pasadena Teachers, District Face $16 Million Contract Negotiation Impasse

Pasadena Unified School District and its teachers union remain deadlocked over contract negotiations involving $16 million in staffing and salary proposals, with both sides presenting contrasting views on the District’s financial capacity amid the District’s projected deficit.

The United Teachers of Pasadena and District officials concluded their eighth bargaining session of the 2024-2025 school year without reaching an agreement. The union seeks to add 29 teachers, six counselors, two librarians, and seven nurses, along with a 7.77% annual salary increase, while the District cites concerns over its $37 million projected deficit.

Pasadena Unified Chief Business Officer Saman Bravo-Karimi reported that recent parcel tax funding reduced the District’s projected deficit from $47 million to $37 million. The District has formed a Superintendent’s Budget Advisory Committee, including staff, labor representatives, community members, parents, and students, to address the shortfall.

Union proposals include expanded staffing for specialty programs like Dual Language Immersion and modifications to special education provisions. The union seeks additional compensation beyond the current $3,000 stipend for special education teachers’ report writing and meetings, while the District has offered a memorandum of understanding to address staffing support and caseload limits.

The District maintains that its kindergarten through third grade classrooms operate at a 24:1 student-teacher ratio, including transitional kindergarten. The union contends current class sizes need adjustment but has not yet provided comparative data from surrounding districts.

The proposed 7.77% off-schedule salary increase would cost approximately $9.5 million annually. While the District notes its 25% salary increase over the previous three years exceeds comparable districts, the union presents this as an alternative to reducing instructional minutes to state minimums.

A separate discussion centers on department chair appointments and union president release time. California Education Code requires full District reimbursement for union presidents’ release time, currently costing $175,620, but the union’s proposal would cover $45,480.

Negotiations will resume March 21 as both sides work to bridge their differences while addressing fiscal constraints and educational needs.