Teachers, paras press BOUSD board after union declares impasse; public commenters demand higher pay

A representative of the Brea Olinda Teachers Association told the board on Feb. 22 that contract negotiations with the district had reached impasse after multiple bargaining sessions, and teachers and paraeducators used the public-comment period to press trustees for higher pay and to decry contracting that pays outside providers more than in‑district employees.

"Despite our diligent progress on many challenging topics throughout negotiation season, we have mutually decided that we are now at an impasse," the BOTA representative said during association reports. The speaker said the district’s offer "is not commensurate with our teachers' qualifications" and asked the board to offer a 4% raise.

Public comment that followed included a string of classroom teachers and paraeducators describing financial strain, long hours and loss of colleagues to higher-paying neighboring districts or private agencies. Paraeducator Daisy Bennett said the district is paying contractors rates that in practice are higher than what BOUSD pays its own staff: "BOUSD cannot afford to pay BOUSD paraeducator Jane Roe $31 an hour. Then how is BOUSD paying for contractor paraeducator Jane Doe $31 an hour?"

BOTA lead negotiator Jennifer Collier cited district financial figures and said the union’s 4% ask is based on recent increases in LCFF revenues; she criticized the district proposal as heavier on one-time payments than ongoing salary increases: "The district's current offer of 2.25% ongoing with a 1.75% one-time payment is much less than the district's receiving and can afford."

Why it matters: Multiple speakers warned that low pay harms recruitment and retention, affects student supports (paraeducators and special education staffing), and forces current employees to take multiple jobs. Several commenters urged reallocating funds currently used to hire agency staff toward raising wages for district employees.

What the board recorded: The meeting included reminders that the district and unions will continue in the bargaining/mediation processes; no contract settlement was announced at the meeting. Trustees did not vote on compensation at this session but acknowledged the public comments and the bargaining status.

Next procedural steps: The union and district may continue negotiations or mediation outside the public session; the board was urged during comments to prioritize employee compensation in upcoming budget decisions.