THOUSAND OAKS : Teachers’ Pay Raise Gets Tentative OK

Conejo Valley teachers would receive a 20% raise over the next three years under a tentative agreement reached Friday, union and school district officials said.

Negotiations between representatives of the United Assn. of Conejo Teachers and the Conejo Valley Unified School District wrapped up Thursday night, followed by a closed session discussion by school board members.

The union’s executive board, representing 712 teachers, unanimously approved the tentative agreement Friday morning.

The school board is scheduled to consider the proposed contract at its Jan. 10 meeting.

Union members will vote on it Jan. 23.

The proposed new contract calls for a 7% raise in the 1990-91 and 1991-92 school years and a 6% raise for the 1992-93 school year, which union officials say will bring teachers’ salaries in line with those of neighboring school districts. The union was seeking a combined 22% raise over the three years.

“It was close enough that I feel we met our goals,” said Hal Vick, executive director of the union. “This does a lot to make up for past sins of the district.”

Class size will be reduced from a maximum 37 students to 36 students for grades four through six. The size of secondary physical education classes also may be reduced due to a new class-size formula.

Teachers will receive a small lottery bonus in early 1991, but will no longer get a portion of the district’s lottery funds.

“The teachers got an excellent contract,” Assistant Supt. Leean Nemeroff said. “The district addressed as many issues as we could.”