SACRAMENTO, Calif — Twin Rivers Unified School District and its teachers union are presenting competing claims about classroom funding and teacher pay as a strike continues in the Sacramento region.
Educators represented by Twin Rivers United Educators (TRUE) have been on strike since March 5, citing what union leaders describe as a staffing crisis and underinvestment in classrooms. Union leaders say the district has not met California’s “55% threshold,” which says districts should spend at least 55 cents of every education dollar on teacher salaries. According to the union, the district began the school year with about 100 educator vacancies and still had about 80 vacancies in March.
District officials say the district is complying with state law. They said Twin Rivers spends about 52 cents of every education dollar on teacher salaries and said California law allows districts to request exemptions from the 55% spending threshold when they demonstrate fiscal reasons for spending below that level. Officials said the district filed waivers that were approved because teacher compensation in Twin Rivers compares favorably with that of surrounding school districts…