Visalia Unified School District is negotiating a 10% salary increase that on May 4 the VUTA began voting on
VISALIA – On May 3, Visalia Unified School District and the Visalia Unified Teachers Association reached a tentative agreement on a new contract bargaining agreement for the 2023-2026 school years. Both parties worked to develop a comprehensive contract in record time.
The agreement explains the school board’s plan to invest in a high-quality professional workforce, equipped to ensure all students receive instruction that results in positive transformational learning outcomes. The agreement aims to achieve this through salary increases. The Visalia Unified Teachers Association started voting on the agreement on May 4 to be considered by the school board.
“We are pleased to have reached a comprehensive tentative agreement working with the VUSD negotiations team, and to have accomplished that goal in record time. We appreciate the collaborative spirit of our negotiations with VUSD,” VUTA president Greg Price said according to a press release.
The salary adjustment includes the funded COLA (cost of living adjustment) amount currently proposed at 8.13%, plus an additional increase of 1.87% in commitment to the parties’ philosophy regarding competitive salary, resulting in an overall 10% salary increase.
“I am proud of the good faith efforts of our bargaining teams, resulting in one of the earliest agreements ever reached and extraordinary investments in our teachers here in Visalia Unified School District,” superintendent Kirk Shrum said according to a press release.
VUTA membership will vote on the tentative agreement beginning May 4 and ending next Monday, May 8. If approved, the tentative agreement will go to the VUSD Board of Trustees for consideration and approval at the next regularly scheduled board meeting on Tuesday, May 9.
