LAUSD reaches tentative 2-year agreement with teachers union

A tentative deal averts a potential strike that could have shut down schools.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 2:55pm

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A bold, colorful silkscreen-style illustration featuring a repeating pattern of stacked school textbooks in vibrant neon hues, conceptually representing the compromise reached between the school district and teachers to invest in education while avoiding a disruptive strike.The tentative agreement between LAUSD and the teachers union aims to provide more resources for classrooms while keeping schools open for students.Los Angeles Today

The Los Angeles Unified School District and the United Teachers Los Angeles union have reached a tentative two-year contract agreement, averting a potential strike that could have shut down schools. The deal includes an 11.65% increase in salary scales for union members and raises the beginning teacher salary to $77,000 per year.

Why it matters

A teachers' strike in the nation's second-largest school district would have had major impacts on hundreds of thousands of students and their families. The tentative agreement represents a compromise that aims to address key priorities for teachers while allowing schools to remain open.

The details

The tentative agreement includes an 11.65% increase in salary scales for UTLA members and raises the beginning teacher salary to $77,000 per year. However, the deal does not completely rule out the possibility of a strike from other educators and school workers, as the district will continue to negotiate with them over the weekend ahead of the April 14 deadline.

  • The tentative agreement was announced on Sunday, April 12, 2026.
  • The deadline for a potential strike is set for Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

The players

Los Angeles Unified School District

The second-largest school district in the United States, serving over 600,000 students in the city of Los Angeles.

United Teachers Los Angeles

The labor union representing teachers and other certificated staff in the LAUSD.

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What they’re saying

“The flexing of our collective power forced LAUSD to direct significant funding into critical priorities identified by UTLA members in the Win Our Future contract demands.”

— UTLA officials

What’s next

LAUSD officials say they will continue to meet and negotiate over the weekend in hopes of keeping schools open come deadline day - which is set for Tuesday, April 14.

The takeaway

This tentative agreement represents a compromise that aims to address key priorities for teachers while allowing schools to remain open, avoiding the major disruption a teachers' strike would have caused for hundreds of thousands of students and their families.