The deal is done.

The Santa Barbara Teachers Association reached a tentative agreement Wednesday to settle its contract dispute with the Santa Barbara Unified School District, according to Hozby Galindo, the union’s president.

The union and district teams spent about 12 hours in mediation Wednesday before reaching a deal for the next two years. The agreement must still be approved by the SBTA membership through a vote.

Galindo said the settlement includes a 10% salary increase for 2024-25 and a total of 5% in increases for the 2025-26 school year – “and potentially more if the district’s property tax revenue increase is more than 5%.”

The agreement will also provide additional paid work days for special educators and early childhood educators. Earlier agreements increased the contribution for educators’ health benefits and guaranteed reduced class sizes for students.

“While this is an historic settlement for our members and our community, we are not done yet,” Galindo said. “We want members to vote yes for this tentative agreement, and then work with us to elect a school board that will return the focus of this district to what happens in the classroom.”

The teacher’s union had waged a nearly year-long campaign for a better contract that included marches, rallies, and picketing at district headquarters, including earlier this week.

The entire event has been a public relations nightmare for the district, with hundreds of residents and business owners placing signs at their homes or at their businesses in support of the teachers.

Last year, Dos Pueblos, San Marcos and Santa Barbara high school students marched out of class in support of the teachers, along with some of the junior high schools and an elementary school.

The union wanted a 15% salary increase next year and 8% the following year. Before Wednesday’s hearing, the district had offered 9% next year and 4% the following year. In a pre-strike authorization vote, 95% of teachers voted, and 98% voted to strike if the district does not agree to the contract.

Ed Zuchelli, spokesman for the school district issued a statement this morning.

“A tentative agreement between SB Unified and Santa Barbara Teachers Association was reached early Thursday morning after negotiating for over 18 hours during the Fact Finding session,” Zuchelli said. “Once ratified, the 3 year contract, which includes two years of salaries settled, will become effective July 1, 2024, and end on June 30, 2027. “

He added:

“This new contract reflects our values to provide competitive wages for our hardworking teachers and keeping our budget fiscally sound while improving student achievement.”

Check back to Noozhawk for updates to this story.