Many months of negotiations and organizing by Coachella Valley Teachers Association (CVTA) has produced a competitive three-year Tentative Agreement that includes a salary structure meant to keep Coachella teachers pursuing their careers in Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD).

The deal includes a 3% retroactive on schedule increase, and a 3% off-schedule bonus for 2015-16. For 2016-17 an additional 3.3% retroactive and 2.8% effective raise beginning January  1, 2017 totaling 6.1%. This includes the addition of 2 professional development days added to the calendar which cost 1.1%, so the effective salary raise on its own is 5%, with an additional 1.1% for the additional days.

In 2017-18 there will be an additional 3% raise and an agreement for CVUSD to pick up benefits costs over the district cap for both 2016-17 and 2017-18.

The agreement represents an 11% raise in 3 years for CVTA and an additional 5.85% for 2 additional PD days and adding twenty minutes to the work day. CVTA leaders have been encouraged by the commitment of their members during these negotiations and pleased that the campaign has strengthened a culture of unity in their chapter.