March 5, 2026
Teachers across California are going on strike or threatening to do so this school year, calling for better pay, benefits, smaller class sizes and better working conditions for special education.
At the same time, school districts say their budgets are extremely tight this year and they’re contemplating school closures and mass layoffs.
This episode dives into these two seemingly conflicting priorities, with voices from a roundtable discussion on the issue.
Voices:
- Michael Fine, chief executive officer, Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team (FCMAT)
- David Goldberg, president, California Teachers’ Association
- Brittoni Ward, president, Twin Rivers United Educators
- Diana Lambert, senior reporter, EdSource
Watch the roundtable and read more from EdSource: What can schools afford? Experts discuss teachers strikes and funding priorities
Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald.
Subscribe: Apple, Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube