This update is provided for informational purposes only. It reflects the status of negotiations as of the date posted. Tentative agreements are not final until a full agreement is reached, ratified by ATA members, and approved by the AUSD Board of Education.
 

AUSD–ATA Contract Negotiations Update
May–December 2025
Albany Unified School District (AUSD) and the Albany Teachers Association (ATA) are engaged in negotiations for a successor collective bargaining agreement covering wages, benefits, hours, class size, evaluations, and working conditions. Throughout the negotiation process, AUSD has shared enrollment data, facility constraints, and preliminary fiscal projections to support transparency and informed decision-making.

Information Shared with ATA
To support negotiations, AUSD has provided ATA with the following information:

• Facility maps and facility use constraints
• Preliminary 2025–26 revenue and expenditure estimates (May 20, 2025)
• Major fiscal assumptions and enrollment projections
• Compensation and comparison data used to inform negotiations

Tentative Agreements Reached
The following tentative agreements have been reached. Tentative agreements are not final until the full contract is settled and ratified.

Article 8 – Miscellaneous Provisions
Removal of gendered language
Agreement to publish the contract on the district website within 45 days
 (May 13, 2025)

Article 21 – Transfer and Reassignment
Temporary teacher notification timelines
 (September 11, 2025)

Article 22 – Children’s Center
Updated language aligned to working conditions
 (May 13, 2025)

Article 23 – Evaluations
Establishment of a Joint Evaluation Committee Memorandum of Understanding
 (December 16, 2025)

Key Issues Still Under Negotiation

Wages and Salary (Article 11)
The parties have exchanged initial proposals and counter proposals.
ATA Initial - multi-year salary increases (6% for 2025-26; 3% for 2026-27; and 3.5% for 2027-28) and salary schedule adjustments for School Psychologist and Speech & Language Specialist positions. 
AUSD Counter - Two Options:
Option 1: A 1.25% salary increase and an acknowledgment that the increased cost of health and welfare benefits for the 2025-26 school year is equivalent to a 1.3% increase in compensation.
Option 2: A 2% salary increase, an acknowledgment that the increased cost of health and welfare benefits for the 2025-26 school year is equivalent to a 1.3% increase in compensation, and a cap on the District’s contribution towards medical benefits at the current 2026 Kaiser rates ($1,168.86 per month for single; $2,337.72 per month for two party; $3,039.04 per month for family).
ATA Counter- A 3% salary increase and an acknowledgment that the increased cost of health and welfare benefits for the 2025-26 school year is equivalent to a 1.3% increase in compensation. No new cap on medical benefits.
Status: Ongoing

Health and Welfare Benefits (Article 12)
AUSD has shared projected increases in benefit costs and proposed capping the District’s contribution to medical benefits at the current 2026 Kaiser rates. No agreement has been reached.
Status: Ongoing

Hours and Preparation Time (Article 16)
ATA proposed expanded preparation time for Specialists and Release Time Teachers working at the elementary level. AUSD raised concerns regarding staffing impacts, program feasibility, and cost.
Status: Ongoing

Class Size and Caseloads (Article 18)
 ATA proposed reductions in class sizes and special education caseloads. AUSD shared staffing, facility, and fiscal impact considerations.
 Status: Ongoing

Leaves of Absence (Article 17)
No agreement was reached regarding the use of leave adjacent to holidays.
Status: Closed without agreement

Memoranda of Understanding (Subcontracting and Artificial Intelligence)
ATA proposed additional restrictions related to subcontracting. AUSD raised concerns about maintaining operational flexibility and timely student services. Use of artificial intelligence remains subject to meet and discuss.
Status: Unresolved
 

Collective Bargaining Bulletin
Albany Unified School District and Albany Teachers Association (ATA)

Albany Unified School District (AUSD) and the Albany Teachers Association (ATA) are engaged in negotiations for a successor collective bargaining agreement covering the 2025–2028 contract period. The parties have exchanged proposals and counterproposals and have reached tentative agreements on certain contract articles. 

Tentative Agreements Reached

• Article 8 (Miscellaneous): Removal of gendered language; agreement to publish the contract online within 45 days (May 13, 2025).
• Article 21 (Transfers/Reassignment): Temporary teacher notification timelines (September 11, 2025).
• Article 22 (Children’s Center): Updated language aligned to working conditions (May 13, 2025).
• Article 23 (Evaluations): Joint Evaluation Committee MOU (December 16, 2025).
• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding Artificial Intelligence.

Other articles remain under negotiation, including Wages and Salary Schedule Provisions, Health and Welfare Benefits, Hours of Employment, and Class Size/Specialist Caseload.

On January 23, 2026, the District presented proposed revisions to Article 16 – Hours of Employment, including proposed changes to preparation time, to professional duties, and clarification of the professional workday. The District proposed language that would expect members to work an 8-hour shift, inclusive of their 45-minute duty-free lunch.

ATA submitted a counterproposal that rejected the District’s proposed changes to sections 16.4 (Professional Duties) and 16.12 (Professional Work Day), and proposed alternative language regarding preparation time, including minimum preparation minutes, scheduling parameters, and applicability to specified certificated positions. 

As part of the negotiations process, the District shared a multi-year fiscal scenario analysis with ATA to illustrate the ongoing budgetary impact of various percentage salary increase scenarios over time. The analysis shows that a 1.5% salary increase represents an ongoing cost to the General Fund and affects the District’s ability to maintain the State-required 3% reserve for economic uncertainty in future years. In other words, the District demonstrated to ATA that a 1.5% salary increase, while continuing to pay full benefits for unit members and their families, is not fiscally sustainable.

Currently, the district spends more money than it receives each year, resulting in a structural deficit. A 1.5% salary increase would exacerbate this structural deficit, requiring us to use our state-mandated 3% reserve by Fiscal Year 2027–28. Districts that fail to maintain a 3% minimum reserve are at risk of being taken over by the county and state.

Ultimately, the District proposed two options: 
Option 1 - A 1.5% salary increase for all salary schedules.
Option 2 - A 2% salary increase for all salary schedules, coupled with a cap on the District’s monthly contribution towards medical benefits at the 2026 Kaiser rates (Single $1,169; Two-party $2,338; Family $3,039) for employees joining the District after July 1, 2026.

ATA countered with a proposed 2% increase for all salary schedules and no cap on the District’s monthly contribution towards medical benefits.

Negotiations are ongoing.

This bulletin is provided for informational purposes only. All proposals are subject to change.
No agreement is final unless and until ratified by both parties.