News Update

Los Angeles Unified reaches agreement with teacher’s union over optional school days

Los Angeles Unified and United Teachers Los Angeles have reached an agreement to move the district’s optional acceleration days to school breaks, following protest from the teacher’s union. UTLA members are set to vote to ratify the decision by Tuesday, which would shift the acceleration days to the first two days of both winter and spring breaks.

The changes to the calendar also come as UTLA continues its contract negotiations with LAUSD, the first with Alberto Carvalho as superintendent. 

UTLA filed a complaint against the district last month saying the district did not engage with its labor partners when it decided to extend the school year, calling it a promotional stunt. The district introduced the optional four additional days to the academic calendar in April, calling them a way to address the learning loss brought on by the pandemic by ensuring students receive time for extra support. 

The acceleration days were initially set to take place on Wednesdays throughout the school year. UTLA members, along with some student groups, were planning to boycott the first one in October, opting instead to hold a rally around their platform.

“The truth is four optional school days that create disruptions during the school year would not positively impact student learning as much as investing in smaller class sizes, increased mental health supports and robust extracurricular activities,” said UTLA member and teacher Phylis Hoffman in a UTLA press release. 

Teachers that work the optional days will be compensated at their regular salary rate. The move to adjust the calendar would also make the last day of school earlier, after the initially chosen days had pushed back the end of the school year.

Carvalho commented on the new acceleration day plan on Twitter, saying the most important thing was to prioritize students.

“Differing perspectives may sometimes keep children from the best they should get but fair alternatives can always be negotiated,” Carvalho wrote Wednesday. “A win is only a win if kids, too, are winners.”