Unions to vote to add 3 instruction days to LAUSD calendar next 2 years

Ratification votes are scheduled this week for a tentative agreement that would allow the Los Angeles Unified School District to add three instructional days to its calendar each of the next two school years.

The tentative agreement with the district’s two largest unions, which was announced Friday, June 2, would also continue the district’s three-week winter break for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years. There would be a voluntary three-day Winter Recess Academy during the first week of winter break to provide targeted instruction and enrichment, meals and supervision for students.

The first day of classes for the 2023-2024 school year would be Aug. 14, under the tentative agreement with United Teachers Los Angeles, which represents LAUSD’s teachers, and Service Employees International Union Local 99, which represents service workers.

Winter break would begin on Dec. 18, with the Winter Recess Academy taking place from Dec. 18 to 20. Classes would resume Jan. 8. The last day of school would be June 11, 2024.

Teachers would be paid for one additional day of teaching under the agreement, with the district converting two days teachers had to work when no students were on campus into instructional days, according to UTLA.

Teachers would also have the option of choosing to work one extra day at the beginning of the year to set up and one extra day at the end of the year to put things away. They would be paid for those days,  UTLA said.

The tentative agreement would also resolve charges pending before the Public Employment Relations Board, with LAUSD dropping its unfair practice charges against UTLA and SEIU Local 99. LAUSD had argued the March strike was unlawful. The unions, in turn, had accused the district of unfair practices.

“It is in the interest of both UTLA and SEIU 99 members to try to reach an agreement on all of the issues within this school year,” a UTLA statement said, “especially since a victory at PERB would have only resulted in LAUSD being ordered to negotiate, by which point the 2023-2024 school year would have already started.”

The additional days of instruction would make up for the lost days when schools were closed during the three-day strike by SEIU Local 99 members in March. The lost days dropped the district under the 180 instructional days required by state law, forcing LAUSD to make them up on a two days-to-one ratio over the next two school years or face a financial penalty. UTLA estimated that penalty would be more than $100 million.

The tentative agreement requires ratification by members of UTLA and SEIU Local 99. UTLA has scheduled a ratification vote from 8 a.m. Tuesday through 11:45 p.m. Thursday. SEIU Local 99’s ratification vote will be held Wednesday to Friday, June 7-9.

“In all decisions, student learning and the well-being of students, families and employees are the district’s top priorities,” LAUSD said in a statement. “We are confident that this agreement supports our north star — ensuring every child in the district has the instruction and support needed to graduate ready for the world.”