Public school students in Dublin will go back to the classroom Monday after teachers and district officials reached a tentative contract agreement late Thursday night.

The three-year, $12.9 million deal was struck at about 10:30 p.m. following a 12-hour negotiating session and it likely ends a four-day teachers’ strike — the first at Dublin Unified School District in almost 50 years.

“By forcing DUSD 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,” said Dublin Teachers Association President Brad Dobrzenski.

“This student-centered agreement is a start to a larger conversation about the need to fully invest in students by reprioritizing Dublin Unified’s budget,” Dobrzenski said.

The tentative agreement still needs to be approved by DTA membership and the DUSD Board of Trustees.

If ratified, the contract will establish a multi-year framework addressing salary, benefits, class size and working conditions, according to district officials.

“This student-centered agreement is a start to a larger conversation about the need to fully invest in students by reprioritizing Dublin Unified’s budget.”
Brad Dobrzenski, Dublin Teachers Association president

“While neither side achieved everything it hoped for, 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,” said Matt Campbell, DUSD assistant superintendent of business services.

“After a difficult period for our community, I am personally committed to doing the work necessary to rebuild relationships, restore trust, and move toward a renewed sense of unity as we focus together on serving our students,” Campbell said.

While both sides cheered the agreement Thursday night, district officials cautioned that the cost to implement the deal will likely lead to budget cuts as soon as next year.

Some of the agreement’s details include a 2.3% ongoing pay hike for teachers effective July 1, 2025, health insurance contribution increases, class size reductions for kindergarten through fifth grade, caseload reductions for speech and language pathologists, and a cap of 45 students for high school PE classes.

It also includes a full-time credentialed teacher-librarian at every high school and counselors at every TK-5th grade campus through 2027-2028.

Kiley Russell writes primarily for Local News Matters on issues related to equity and the environment. A Bay Area native, he has lived most of his life in Oakland. He studied journalism at San Francisco State University, worked for the Associated Press and the former Contra Costa Times, among other outlets. He has covered everything from state legislatures, local governments, federal and state courts, crime, growth and development, political campaigns of various stripes, wildfires and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.