CUSD teachers decry delays on pay increase request
Chaparral Elementary teachers advocate for a 1% pay raise outside their school on Tuesday. Photo/courtesy of Brian D’Ambrosia-Donner
by Andrew Alonzo | aalonzo@claremont-courier.com
Sporting red T-shirts emblazoned with Claremont Faculty Association and carrying signs, dozens of Claremont Unified School District teachers demonstrated outside their schools Tuesday in hopes of bringing attention to their demands for a 1% pay raise.
The demonstration followed a June 5 Board of Education meeting where teachers expressed their displeasure over being denied the modest raise.
“Members of the Claremont Faculty Association are exceptionally hard-working professionals who choose to work for CUSD,” CFA President Brian D’Ambrosia-Donner said at the meeting. “Increasingly, members feel like other areas of the CUSD Commitment rank higher in the budget on the CUSD priority list than those whose job it is to deliver the Commitment.”
Claremont Faculty Association union members, including President Brian D’Ambrosia-Donner, in hat, were among those who attended the June 5 CUSD Board of Education meeting. Courier photo/Andrew Alonzo
Union members cited poor teacher retention, workload and case management increases, and the prioritization of programs over educators as some of their justification for the proposed pay increase.
“I work really hard for this district, and I find it insulting and demoralizing that my pay is not keeping up with the basic cost of living standards,” said Claremont High School teacher Martha Stein. “The budget shortfalls are not in my purview as a classroom teacher. I’m doing my job, it’s time for you to do yours.”
“Not only are we going to keep facing declining enrollment as the housing crisis deepens, we’re going to lose quality teachers,” Sycamore Elementary’s Lydia Hernandez said. “Find money for a token 1% raise. There’s just no good excuse not to.”
Following the meeting, CUSD Superintendent Jim Elsasser said negotiations were ongoing, and Board President Kathryn Dunn declined to comment.
The ongoing negotiations come some three weeks after the Board of Education approved a “declaration of indefinite salaries for retroactive pay,” a move that legally sets the stage for potential retroactive raises for management, confidential, and other non-union employees.
“[California] Education Code Section 45032 specifically allows school district governing boards to set salaries at any time during the year,” CUSD spokesperson Elaine Kong told the Courier. “However, to have the ability to grant retroactive salary increases legally, salaries must be declared ‘indefinite’ before the fiscal year begins. This declaration ensures compliance with constitutional provisions prohibiting extra compensations after services are rendered.”
David Chamberlain, a 26-year CUSD teacher and member of CFA’s bargaining team, said his typical day begins at 7:25 a.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m., sometimes later due his coaching duties with the CHS and El Roble speech and debate teams. He said he often also takes work home to finish.
Chamberlain said a 1% raise would be a good show of faith by the district.
“The number of extreme student behaviors, the number of mental health issues that we’re struggling with in terms of our students, what is asked of us to meet all the special needs of the 37 students in our classrooms, it’s a lot,” Chamberlain told the Courier. “And while that 1% is not going to necessarily help me financially, it’s going to just be a signal from the district that, ‘Hey, we appreciate what you’re doing.’”
Negotiating teams from CUSD and CFA have been meeting since January, and recently entered what Kong called “the first financial pass of the process.”
“This stage marks the starting point for in-depth discussions around fiscal priorities and available resources,” Kong wrote in an email. “From here, we will continue to meet, exchange ideas, and refine proposals through thoughtful dialogue and good-faith effort. It takes time, care, and collaboration to reach an agreement that honors our educators’ contributions while maintaining the district’s long-term financial stability.”
D’Ambrosia-Donner said CFA presented offers to CUSD on June 3 and 10.
“There are two main components” D’Ambrosia-Donner said. “One is we’ve asked for a salary increase of 1%, which is much lower than the [cost of living adjustment] … The other components I mentioned … are language that provides, compensation for overages and a prep period for our TK teachers and other teachers. So, some things that have a price tag associated with it.”
Negotiating teams met again Tuesday.
“They took a break to look at the budget and they came back and said that they’re going to need time to evaluate the budget,” D’Ambrosia-Donner said. “They’re going to need time to get the finalized state budget, look at the ending fund balance, see what health care costs will be, and will offer a counterproposal and would like to return to the table in August.”
Negotiations will resume August 19.
“We are facing one of the most challenging budget climates in recent memory, with state revenues significantly lower than projected,” Kong wrote in an email. “Our district has been examining the 2024–25 and 2025–26 budgets with a fine-tooth comb. Claremont Unified has provided salary increases to teachers in the last five years — including an off-schedule salary increase last year. At a time when neighboring districts are laying off staff, we are proud that we have not issued any teacher layoffs in more than a decade.”
The district is home to 312 teachers. Their salary schedules are posted at cusd.claremont.edu, search “salary schedules.”
“Our District’s projected ratio of salaries and benefits is an estimated 85% for the 2024-25 budget and a similar estimate for the 2025-26 budget year,” Kong wrote.
The next school board meeting is 6 p.m. Thursday, June 19 at 170 W. San Jose Ave., Claremont.
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