LAUSD Reaches Tentative Deal with Teachers Union

Los Angeles Unified School District officials announced a tentative two-year contract agreement with the United Teachers Los Angeles on Sunday, potentially averting a teachers' strike planned for Tuesday that could close schools across the city.

The deal, reached early Sunday morning, raises salary scales for UTLA members by 11.65 percent and boosts the starting salary for teachers from approximately $68,000 to $77,000 annually. It addresses key demands from the union, which represents tens of thousands of educators in the nation's second-largest school district. "The flexing of our collective power forced LAUSD to direct significant funding into critical priorities identified by UTLA members in the Win Our Future contract demands," UTLA officials stated.

However, the agreement does not guarantee schools will remain open. Negotiations continue with two other unions: SEIU Local 99, representing about 30,000 service workers including custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria staff and special education assistants; and the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles, which covers principals and other administrators. District officials plan to meet over the weekend to secure deals with both...