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After months of contentious bargaining talks, the school board is expected to cast a final vote on the tentative agreement between the Pleasanton Unified School District and the Association of Pleasanton Teachers at their regular meeting on Thursday, starting 6 p.m.
Released last week, the proposed contract comes after APT members voted last month to authorize a strike during impasse with the district. Teachers rallied outside the district office several times recently but did not stop working at any point in time.
APT President Michelle VerKuilen told the Weekly in a statement on Wednesday that “APT members and leadership were humbled by what our union collective action and power produced for our students.”
“Pleasanton students deserve the best resources/supports, the best class sizes/caseloads and the best educators. We are hopeful that our district will partner with us as we support our students,” VerKuilen said.
Under the agreement, teachers’ pay on the salary schedule would increase across the board by 4.5% retroactive to July 1. A one-time payment of $2,000 for the 2020-21 school year — prorated based on assigned full-time equivalent (FTE) hours — would also be given to union members.
The hourly rate for the professional rate for certificated staff members would also increase from $32.15 to $46.86 (which is column one, step one of the teacher salary schedule in PUSD), effective on Jan. 1. Standardized stipends for middle school coaches, music programs and special education teachers would also be retroactive to July 1.
Starting in the 2022-23 school year, PUSD would increase the allowable service credit for newly hired teachers to a maximum of 15 years (up from the previous six-year maximum).
Reducing class sizes from 33 students down to 31 for fourth and fifth grades are among the main terms in the agreement not related to salary.
The estimated financial impact of the deal is just over $6 million, although the district’s Business Services Department said the “exact cost won’t be known until payroll runs.”
As part of PUSD’s “me too” clause for its executive management contracts, all district managers and confidential employees will receive “a $2,000 one-time allocation for 2020-2021, and a 3.6% increase to the salary schedule for 2021-2022, effective July 1.” Non-executive management/confidential employees will also receive 50% of Kaiser single coverage or $1000.00 cash in lieu, effective July 1.
The board will vote on the executive contracts in a separate hearing that evening.
In other business
* With the goal of giving high students clearer guidelines and greater flexibility when it comes to applying alternative credits toward graduation, the Board of Trustees will potentially adopt a proposed expanded list of alternative credit options on Thursday.
According to the district, currently the “maximum number of units granted for credit of online/correspondence courses is 20 units for grades 9-12 with no more than 10 units in any one subject area.”
If approved, the number of options for alternative credits would increase from one up to 10. The proposed options for students to fulfill a course requirement for graduation include supervised work experience, career technical education classes, courses offered by regional occupational centers or programs, out-of-district instruction, and both interdisciplinary and independent study.
PUSD would also accept “for credit toward world language or electives, world language courses successfully completed through an out-of-district accredited institution,” as well as “practical demonstration of skills and competencies” and military service and training. Finally, the district would also allow “for credit toward the district’s physical education requirement, participation in district interscholastic athletic programs and/or school marching band carried on wholly or partially after regular school hours.”
Starting in the ninth grade, students may also transfer up to 40 credits total out-of-district courses to a PUSD transcript including “college level courses taken at a community college or a four-year college, with no more than one course in a subject area,” and “up to 10 credits from a high school level course taken through an out-of-district accredited institution may be applied toward the 40 credits.”
Because Pleasanton Virtual Academy, Tri-Valley ROP, and Las Positas Middle College “are PUSD programs designed to provide students with options for flexibility,” the district said credits earned in those programs are not subject to the 40 credit limit.
Changes to the district’s alternative credits policy would take effect on Nov. 19 and apply to all high school students. Officials said high school students in the classes of 2022 through 2025 may request to access the prior Administrative Regulation 6146.11 (dated June 7, 2005), “which allows for a maximum of 20 total credits instead by submitting an appeal for an exception to their principal.”
* The first of two pre-map public hearings will take place at Thursday’s board meeting, where district staff, legal counsel, and a recently hired demographer will review the process to begin moving PUSD towards by-trustee-area elections.
Last month the board approved a resolution to start transitioning the district from at-large elections, where each board member is elected by all voters in the district. By-trustee-area elections, which only let voters elect candidates that are required to live in their own geographic districts, are considered immune from legal challenge under the California Voting Rights Act.
When finished, the five trustee areas of the new boundary map will be used in the November 2022 general election, when the board seats currently filled by Board President Joan Laursen and Trustee Mark Miller will be open. Both Laursen and Miller have previously stated they do not plan to run for reelection next year.
The elected board members will be responsible for appointing a representative, if no candidates declare for a vacant trustee seat in one of the five areas.
Criteria for creating new election boundaries as well as data from the 2020 Census will also be reviewed during the hearing. The district held an online town hall meeting last week, giving community members an overview of the same presentation scheduled on Thursday, as well as an opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions about the mapping process.
In addition to required public hearings at board meetings, the district “will be hosting a set of community meetings to ensure strong public engagement.” Information about the mapping process is also available on the district website at www.pleasantonusd.net.
