Portola Valley teachers shared their elation about their new raises, averaging 20%, during a recent school board meeting, following 15 months of negotiations between the Portola Valley School District and teachers union.

The agreement, approved by the Board of Trustees on March 30, is retroactive to July 1, 2022 and runs through June 30, 2025. Base salaries for the Portola Valley Teachers Association teachers begin at $82,130, and teachers can earn up to $153,886 for the 2023-24 school year. The district's prior contract started teachers at $64,108, and teachers could earn up to $132,969.

Corte Madera School social studies teacher Lemma Barazi grew emotional telling the board how the raise is essential to her survival, and that teachers had demonstrated to their students their right to assemble and engage in collective bargaining.

"For the remainder of the year, I no longer need to worry about a negative bank balance or finding $20 for gas just so I can get to work," she said. "Today I can quit my food delivery job and focus my energy, and time, to providing high-quality education."

Barazi previously told the board that after being forced to move out of her apartment, she had to live with 14 other people to save money.

Corte Madera School fourth grade teacher Jenny Lebsack told the board that the new salary schedule will help the district retain and attract teachers.

"The future of PVSD looks very bright indeed," she said.

Ormondale School third grade teacher Daphna Wolfe said the negotiations process wasn't easy, and it was long.

"I appreciate all the teachers for hanging in," Wolfe said.

The new contract will cost the district an additional roughly $1.22 million during the 2022-23 school year, and $646,000 on top of that for the 2023-24 school year.

View the contract here.