LAUSD: UTLA tentative deal reached, but walkouts loom amid broader union talks

LAUSD and UTLA reached a tentative two-year contract with roughly an 11.65% pay hike, a starting salary near $77,000, four weeks of district-paid parental leave, expanded student mental-health supports, and smaller class-size targets for some grades; the district says the deal costs about $650 million and includes inclusive-practices staffing. While UTLA members are urged to ratify, negotiations with SEIU Local 99 (bus drivers and aides) and the administrators’ union continue, with a potential sympathy strike if no deal by April 14. A district walkout could disrupt attendance for about 400,000 students, but the district has prepared food, tech support, and child-care resources if schools close.