Tentative School Pact Reached in Santa Ana

The Santa Ana Unified School District and its 1,800 teachers have quietly reached a tentative three-year contract settlement that offers a 7% pay increase for 1989-90, and promises raises that are 1% above those of other local unified school districts for the next two years.

The settlement comes after four months of negotiations behind closed doors, without public rancor or controversy. It was markedly different from last year, when teachers voted to strike--although they never followed through with the threatened action.

‘Spirit of Cooperation’

“It’s because of the increasing spirit of cooperation between everyone--the school board, the administration, the certified staff and classified staff,” said Rick Bryan, president of the Santa Ana Educators Assn. “Everyone is . . . recognizing that the only way we can get anywhere is with everyone working together.”

During the district’s contract talks last year, teachers staged two sickouts. Even after a tentative settlement was reached, teachers picketed, some of them carrying signs that said “Santa Ana Supports Mediocrity in Education.” But this year was different.

“It was a true collaborative effort on the part of both teams,” Supt. Rudy Castruita said. “There was an extraordinary amount of cooperation which led to this early settlement, and now gives us the chance to focus on the business of educating children.”

Negotiations in the Santa Ana district were also in marked contrast to the lengthy contract dispute at the Anaheim Union High School District, which culminated in a one-day strike May 10.

Anaheim Teachers Vote

After months of working without a contract, and several bitter negotiating sessions, Anaheim teachers this week voted to ratify a contract that will give them a 1% pay increase for the school year that just ended.

Santa Ana Unified spokeswoman Diane Thomas said the pay increases for the last two years of the contract will be calculated by averaging the pay increases of the other 11 unified school districts in the county, and then adding 1%.

The tentative settlement also includes, she said, a 1.7% equivalency in fringe benefits, meaning that the district will absorb increased benefit costs next year instead of passing them on to teachers.

The Board of Trustees will vote on the package at its meeting Tuesday, Thomas said, adding that ballots for ratification will be mailed to teachers that same day.

Thomas said the agreement to keep Santa Ana teacher salaries on a par with that of other Orange County unified districts means the district can compete for the same quality teachers.

At County Average

“We’re right at the county average now, but we are the largest district in the county and the board is committed to putting us ahead,” she said. “It will enhance our recruitment efforts, our effort to keep teachers.

“Everyone’s very pleased about it,” she said.

Thomas said the package will cost the district $4.5 million the first year.

Bryan said the difference in this year’s negotiations, compared to those last year, partially have to do with new leadership at the school district. Castruita, who was named superintendent of schools in November, has brought a number of changes to the district.

“We have a dynamic new superintendent--I’m sure that’s one of the factors,” Bryan said. “But it’s the sense of good feeling and good cooperation among everyone that was also responsible. It’s just wonderful to work in a district like this.”

Would Change Image

He also said that granting such a large pay increase and making a commitment to keep it competitive with other nearby districts will go a long way toward changing the negative image that has long plagued Santa Ana’s schools.

“Oh, we’re definitely changing our image to a much more positive one,” he said. “It’s frustrating sometimes for all of us, because we know about the changes internally that everyone else on the outside doesn’t recognize. But hopefully this will get the word out to those in the community and others not in the district.”