Dublin Teachers, District Reach Tentative Deal Ending 4-Day East Bay Strike

Dublin’s school district and teachers reached a tentative agreement late Thursday, ending the latest in a wave of school strikes across the Bay Area after four days.

More than 700 teachers across the East Bay district took to picket lines on Monday, demanding smaller class sizes and increased compensation. The union said the new three-year deal will help retain educators and improve students’ classroom experiences.

“By forcing [Dublin Unified School District] to invest in our students by decreasing class sizes and increasing compensation and healthcare to retain and recruit the best educators for our students, we’ve made important steps towards the schools our students deserve,” Dublin Teachers Association president Brad Dobrzenski said in a statement.

DTA and DUSD began negotiating a new labor agreement in September, while educators worked under a contract that expired last June. The parties reached an impasse in November and concluded mediation earlier this month without a deal.

DTA had requested a 2% raise and fully funded healthcare coverage for educators. The union also asked for commitments to cap class sizes at 20 students in elementary school classrooms, bring high school classes in line with middle school class sizes and make changes to special educators’ workloads.

For months, the district maintained that it couldn’t afford to meet the union’s proposals, which it estimated would cost a combined $32 million.

DUSD said in a statement on its website that it has run budget deficits over the last three years, depleting its reserve fund, and requiring millions more in budget cuts this year to pay its bills.

“Reaching this agreement required the District and the DTA to make difficult choices and move from our original positions to find common ground,” Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Matt Campbell said. “The agreement reflects a balanced path forward that supports our educators while protecting the long-term stability of our schools and the students we serve.”

The new contract includes a 2.3% raise, retroactive to July 2025, and a promise to cover the full cost of healthcare for teachers by 2028. Dobrzenski said the union will also have an opportunity to reopen negotiations on raises ahead of the 2026-2027 academic year.

The deal also reduces class sizes by one to two students in each elementary school grade, and lowers caseloads for speech and language pathologists and educational specialists.

“We are very excited that our students are going to have a little bit more of that individual attention now,” Dobrzenski told KQED. With smaller class sizes, “struggling students can get that ‘Aha’ moment with their teacher, the students who are already excelling are given an opportunity to do even more, and the students that might be in between get seen and supported.”

It’s not yet clear how much the agreement will cost the district.

In neighboring San Francisco and West Contra Costa County, where educators went on strike earlier this school year, district leaders have proposed additional budget cuts to pay for newly won contract agreements. DUSD previously said it needs to make $8.6 million in ongoing cuts this spring.

Still, Dobrzenski said that he’s hopeful that the tentative agreement can help the district turn a corner after a turbulent few years. While DUSD is one of the few districts in the state where enrollment is growing, generating increased revenue, it’s also facing budget challenges and major leadership changes.

Outgoing Sup. Chris Funk announced he would retire at the end of the school year in December, a week after taking credit for a budgeting error that cost the district $3.6 million. The union passed a vote of no confidence in Funk in January.

Dobrzenski said Friday that he was grateful for Campbell, the assistant superintendent of business services, who stepped into a leadership role during negotiations.

“He demonstrated a commitment to being involved,” Dobrzenski said. “He was present at all the sessions, and that’s a very different experience for us. We’re hopeful that he will provide us with more opportunities to collaborate.

“That’s really what it’s going to take to get the best for our students,” he continued.

The contract still needs to be ratified by union members and approved by Dublin’s school board. Normal school operations are set to resume on Monday.