We are drowning
This message is clearly not being heard. PUSD receives big windfalls of money due to inflation, and it doesn’t go to teachers. The PUSD teacher salaries are not enough to afford a life in Pleasanton. Let’s look at a case study.
This message is clearly not being heard. PUSD receives big windfalls of money due to inflation, and it doesn’t go to teachers. The PUSD teacher salaries are not enough to afford a life in Pleasanton. Let’s look at a case study.
District management agrees to go to impasse with APT, and they are claiming, very publicly, that they have no money.
Within the tri-valley, Pleasanton USD is now the lowest paying district and has the worst benefits. Both Dublin USD and Livermore Valley Joint USD received substantial raises due to rising inflation. PUSD did not.
With their built in 3.5% raises, the "me too" clause, individual contract negotiations, and longevity bonuses, the superintendents average raise is about 6% per year over the last 10 years, more than 3 times that of the teachers. Pair this with their recently added full medical benefits, and we can see that new district money is flowing increasingly toward the top earners.
PUSD management is stockpiling money. There is currently a reserve of $32 million dollars. Last year, PUSD received additional funding from the state to compensate for rising inflation to the tune of an extra $26 million dollars or 13.5% above what was expected. Rather than giving teachers needed cost of living raises, they instead transfer these funds into untouchable restricted accounts.
Over the last 20 years, teachers in PUSD have received, on average, a salary increase of 1.43% while inflation has averaged 2.48%. In this time, the medium home price in Alameda County has increased by 150%, consumer price index has increased by 75%, yet PUSD salaries have only increased by 31%. Teachers can no longer afford to teach in Pleasanton
Why Pleasanton??
PUSD is starting to heavily recruit because many teachers are leaving for higher paying districts. Just to be clear, they are more concerned with attracting new hires than securing the teachers they already have. Giving signing bonuses, sending management on recruitment trips across the country, and standing by as the quality educators they currently have move on simply for a livable wage.
What is actually happening with bargaining this year? Obviously it is contentious, but why? Who’s court is the proverbial ball currently in? Is management being unreasonable, or is it APT that is holding it up? With most situations, it’s nuanced, and also, I’m not on the bargaining team, so I really don’t know anything, but I’m going to stand by my team and place the blame squarely on management.
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