Teachers, District OK Pact, Back Pay

The Laguna Beach Unified School District and the teachers union have approved a one-year contract that reverses salary cuts made during the district’s 1996 financial crisis.

In 1998-99, teachers will get a 2.5% raise, according to Tuesday’s agreement.

The accord makes up for the salary cuts with a 1.5% retroactive raise for 1997-98, and a one-time payment of 3.5%.

“I’m pleased we could come to an agreement. We all want what’s fair and it’s just a matter of working out the details,” Supt. Theresa A. Daem said.

“We have some teachers’ smiles around here. I’m happy they’re happy.”

Laguna Beach is one of the few districts that relies on property tax income, rather than attendance-based state funding.

So when tax revenues declined in 1996, the district had to borrow $850,000 and ask employees to take a 5% pay cut to balance the budget.

The teachers union rejected a proposal in July that would have repaid the cut in two installments rather than at once.

Dennis Haryung, president of the Laguna Beach Unified Faculty Assn., could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

But at last week’s school board meeting he expressed hope that an agreement could be reached, which board members echoed.

“You can have the best superintendent, the best facilities, the best board, the best whatever,” Haryung said.

“If it’s not happening in the classroom with the teachers, it’s not going to happen.”