Oakland teachers are continuing to strike after failing to reach an agreement Sunday.
Thousands of educators began striking last Thursday. They are asking for a 12 percent raise over three years, smaller class sizes and more school nurses and counselors.
The district offered teachers an 8.5 percent increase over four years and pledged to reduce class sizes by one percent. The Oakland Education Association quickly rejected the new offer.
The Oakland Unified School District says it can't afford to give into all of the teachers' demands. And a fact-finding report by a state-appointed arbitrator agreed. It said even a 9 percent raise over three years was beyond the district's means. The report recommends a retroactive 6 percent increase for the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years, and to reopen salary negotiations the following school year.
The Oakland Unified School District serves more than 36,000 students at 86 schools. District officials said schools will remain open despite the strike, staffed by non-union employees and substitute teachers.
