Teachers press PVPUSD board for higher pay as negotiations continue

Teachers, parents and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Faculty Association urged the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District board on May 28 to prioritize more competitive compensation as contract negotiations continued.

At public comment, Guy Gardner, a social‑studies teacher and head football coach at Palis High School, said insurance premiums and cost‑of‑living increases have made it harder to afford the area and urged the board to resolve bargaining. "In 2024 the PO insurance premium for our three‑person household was $1,700. This year we pay over $2,500 a month—that's $27,000 a year just for premiums," Gardner said.

Several other classroom teachers described similar strains. Michael Bordagari, a third‑year middle‑school math and STEM teacher, said salaries and benefits lag behind neighboring South Bay districts and that smaller step increases for experienced teachers make long‑term retention difficult. "Investing in teachers and staff is an investment in students," Bordagari said.

The Palos Verdes Peninsula Faculty Association's leadership echoed those appeals. PVFA representative Samantha Weiss told the board the association's calculations show the district could reach a more competitive settlement if it prioritized bargaining earlier. "If it's really true you can't afford more for this deal, then you're budgeting wrong," she said.

District officials and the superintendent, Dr. Devin Serrano, acknowledged the urgency and said bargaining remains active. Serrano reiterated the district’s goal of balancing competitive compensation with long‑term fiscal stability and noted the parties had engaged in multiple bargaining sessions. The district also posted a negotiation summary under "Negotiations Updates" on the human resources page, the superintendent said.

The board did not take a formal vote on bargaining terms during the meeting; public comment and staff reports set the community’s expectations for continued negotiations this week.

The school year is ending, and several speakers warned that leaving negotiations unresolved through summer risks teacher attrition and lowered morale when staff return in the fall. The district said it will meet again with PVFA and continue efforts to find a mutually beneficial agreement.