UTLA files unfair labor practices complaint against LAUSD over extra "optional" instructional days
The union representing Los Angeles teachers have filed an unfair labor practices complaint against the Los Angeles Unified School District, alleging that four "optional" instructional days were added to the academic calendar for the coming year without union negotiations.
According to the United Teachers Los Angeles, the four "optional acceleration" days — Oct. 19, Dec. 7, March 15, 2023, and April 19, 2023 — were imposed without any consultation with parents, teachers, or other district employees.
"Educators are the ones in the classroom day to day, not Superintendent Carvalho, yet they are being left out of conversations on how to most effectively invest in student learning," UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz said in a statement. "Instead, the district has chosen to make hasty decisions that will have more negative consequences for both educators and students, while the contract for more than 30,000 employees has expired."
The union and the district are currently engaged in contract negotiations.
The district responded to the complaint by pointing out they were "purely optional" days and that teachers will be offered additional pay if they participate.
"The district looks forward to further discussions with UTLA on this and other topics as we work together for the school communities we serve," LAUSD's statement said.
When the additional days were announced in April, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said they would be "designed to provide a deep level of supplemental academic support for our students who need it the most — students who have lost the most ground, students in foster care, students with English language limitations or one or more disabilities."
LAUSD is poised to start its 2022-23 school year on Monday.