The Facts

The collective bargaining agreement between high school teachers and CUHSD expired on August 31, 2018. This was in spite of beginning the bargaining process back in March. Although CHSTA and the District were using an Interest Based Bargaining approach, the District does not seem committed to our community’s shared interest of attracting and retaining quality educators for Campbell students. In the past three years, the District has seen 150 new teachers enter our schools - out of a total teaching staff of approximately 400 teachers. CHSTA believes that it is not in our students’ interest to lose good teachers to other districts who are willing to make teachers a budget priority. 

01 / CPI

Since 2008 bay area CPI has increased 26.5% while salary has increased 20.5%.
 

02 / Salaries

CUHSD teachers have lost 5% in purchasing power over the past 10 years.

03 / Reserve

From 2008-2013 teachers received 0% in salary increases and agreed to furlough, meanwhile, the Districts Reserves grew to 35%.
The district has not Deficit Spent in over 8 years, and the last time it did was only because the Reserve was getting so big (over 30%) that the teachers and the public demanded that they spend down the Reserves.

A deeper Look

Total Outgo

When comparing what percent of Total Outgo (all of the money the district spends in a given year) that goes toward teacher salaries, CUHSD is at the bottom compared to 10 other local districts, including Gilroy (which received a 6% salary increase this year), Milpitas and Morgan Hill. 

Frequently asked questions

I have heard teachers are working without a contract; what does that mean?

While the CHSTA team has worked tirelessly to come up with creative compensation options the main reason we are still bargaining at this late of a date is the districts reluctance to talk numbers or bargain salaries prior the end of last school year. Education Employment Relations Act 3543.7 Duty to meet and negotiate in good faith; time The duty to meet and negotiate in good faith requires the parties to begin negotiations prior to the adoption of the final budget for the ensuing year sufficiently in advance of such adoption date so that there is adequate time for agreement to be reached, or for the resolution of an impasse.



Have staff received raises in the past?

In the past ten years teachers have received 20.5% in salary increases while the bay area Cost of Living has increased by 26.5%. Teachers received 0% in salary increases from 2008-2013 and agreed to furlough days while the districts reserves continued to grow to almost 35%. Since 2013 the district had agreed to pay down some of the reserves and make up some of the salary losses of teachers. Teachers have still not recovered from ten years ago and currently have 5% less purchasing power than they did in 2008.



I have heard CUHSD teacher salaries are dead last. Is that true?

While comparing our Salaries with other districts is one way to validate the district’s position of not offering a raise higher than 2%, other districts have negotiated 4% increases for the next two years guaranteed (one is Sunnyvale Unified School District)



I always hear that school finances are in trouble, but then everything turns out fine. What is different now?

The district has known about these increases coming in regards to contributions. It is also receiving more in order to compensate for the increase.



If the district has $20 million in reserves, why can't the district provide higher raises?

The District can afford a raise of more than 2%. The state requires districts to retain a 3% reserve, the school board has mandated an additional 6%, this district is holding nearly 20% in reserves.