K–12 | Daily Report

A last-minute compromise gives the Capistrano Unified School District until 5 p.m. today to avert a teachers' strike.

According to the Orange County Register, a letter was sent yesterday to the district's attorney, John Rajcic, suggesting ways the two sides could restart negotiation talks. The terms of the compromise are:

1. The permanent 10 percent pay cuts be made temporary.

2. The temporary cuts expire on June 30, 2011.

3. The district agrees to restore salary, unpaid work days and benefit cuts if any unforeseen money is received to bolster the budget.

4. The district agrees to implement contractual language that had been previously agreed upon.

District officials acknowledged receiving the letter but did not comment on whether they would accept the union's terms. They have until 5 p.m. today to respond, according to the Register.

Last week, members of the local teachers' union granted their governing board permission to kick off a strike. About 1,848 teachers participated in the union vote. Roughly 87 percent approved giving the board strike authority. A strike decision could have been announced Monday but instead the teachers offered the compromise.

Capistrano Unified Education Association President Vicki Soderberg told the Register that the teachers were trying to resolve the stalled negotiations without striking.

We have the strike vote – 87 percent of teachers voted to authorize it. But we're still hoping we hear from the school board. What we're saying is, 'Come back to the bargaining table and we will agree to the details of the imposition.'

The California Teachers Association told California Watch that it believed the Capistrano Unified School District was using the current budget crisis as an opportunity to crush its local affiliate. CTA has been closely involved in monitoring the negotiation talks and supporting the efforts of the local union.

"The ultimate goal in Capistrano was to break the union," said Sandra Jackson, a spokeswoman for CTA. 

Last week, an estimated 7,412 students skipped school as part of a "sickout" to protest the school board's March 31 vote to impose a teacher pay cut. Initially, only 3,880 students were reported absent, but those numbers were later determined to be inaccurate, according to district administrator Julie Hatchel.

Capistrano is the second largest school district in Orange County, serving approximately 52,000 students. Jackson said she believes the district underestimated the community's support for teachers.

Still, she said Capistrano's behavior toward teachers is not representative of most districts. "The true enemy is the budget crisis," Jackson said.

This year, Capistrano faces a budget shortfall of $34 million. Local school board members have said the decision to institute the permanent pay cut was done to salvage the district's long-term financial health.