Eagle Era

Contract negotiations loom large as AHS faces a possible teacher crisis

By Krish Balaji

With teacher contract renewals around the corner, AHS might be losing a sizable portion of its teacher base at the end of the 2026-2027 school year. Every 3 years, FUSD’s teacher representatives negotiate with the district for new contract terms and conditions, and 2026-2027 marks the final year of this 3-year cycle. A large portion of teachers are new and do not have permanent status yet, so these negotiations are crucial if AHS hopes to keep these teachers for the foreseeable future.

The negotiation process is a lot more complicated than it seems.  “The process of negotiating has not yet started,” said Mr. Bonaccorsi, a math teacher. “Getting those ideas to the district is called sunshining. We look at the proposals by teachers, and give our consent to the issues being bargained. Our bargaining team then presents them to the school district as an agenda item for sunshining.” Only after sunshining can negotiations begin.

There are a myriad of topics discussed during sunshining, but a recurring one is how the new contract will help teachers manage their career and home life.  “There is always a dispute on what benefits should be covered and what should not be covered”, said Mr. Rojas, an economics teacher well versed in these topics. “There is always the issue of childcare. For some of my colleagues, they really need to have childcare covered. And sometimes it’s not that way.”

While it might not be as big of a factor for younger teachers, childcare is a huge factor for older teachers deciding whether or not to renew their contract.

Fremont Unified District Teachers Association’s (FUDTA’s) executive board (Photo Credit: fudta.org)

Mr. Elam, a World History teacher, said, “One of our big things was class caps. There are no official class capacities in high school and middle school, so what we have asked is that there be an official capacity.” Class caps were a big thing in the 2024 negotiations, and as it was not addressed then, it remains to be seen if FUSD will address it in 2027.

These questions contribute to larger concerns regarding teacher livelihood as a whole. Regarding salary, Mr. Elam said, “We have been taking a pay cut every year, since our alleged increase does not match the rate of inflation,” and “For me, I can’t afford to live in Fremont; I have to commute 45 minutes and have to live in San Leandro.”

As prices continue to rise, not meeting this inflation is a growing concern for many teachers, especially younger ones who might not be as financially stable. This is not for a lack of funds either. Mr. Elam said, “The district has somewhere around 100 million in excess funds that are not allocated, that we have pointed out over the last couple of years.”

With increasing prices, FUSD’s unwillingness to spend money on its teachers could be what ultimately causes friction and the loss of said teachers. Mr. Rojas said, “Many newer teachers are looking at the grass next door, and they see the grass is greener.” Ultimately, if AHS wants its teachers to stay, FUSD has to be prepared to meet teachers in the middle and offer them the amenities to live a comfortable lifestyle.