Representative Assembly Meeting | Thursday, October 8 | Casa Italiana
Thank you for showing up for your union!
More than 100 AALA Teamsters members joined us at Casa Italiana on Thursday, October 8, following an already impactful and busy day. Your commitment to staying engaged, informed, and involved in the future of our schools and our union is a powerful reminder of what makes our membership strong.
Our first Representative Assembly meeting was an opportunity to discuss the challenges facing our district, examine the proposals that could affect our members and the communities we serve, and outline the action steps your union is taking to protect your interests.
One message was clear throughout our discussion: We must remain informed, united, and ready to advocate for our members, our schools, and our students.
The President’s Report: Understanding the District’s Financial Challenges
The President’s Report focused on two critical developments that will shape the financial future of LAUSD:
The Fiscal Crisis Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) report presented to the Board of Education on October 6.
The District’s proposed Fiscal Stabilization Plan (FSP).
Understanding these reports is essential. The decisions made in the coming months could have significant consequences for our working conditions, employee benefits, school programs, and the long-term stability of our affiliated charter schools.
1. The FCMAT Report: What Does It Mean for LAUSD?
The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) initiated the FCMAT review to conduct an in-depth assessment of the District’s financial condition and identify areas of concern.
FCMAT is a state-funded agency that provides independent fiscal and management analysis. Its role is to evaluate financial conditions and provide findings and recommendations—not to make LAUSD’s budget decisions or independently enforce proposed solutions. [READ THE FCMAT REPORT HERE]
The significance of these findings cannot be understated. The report identifies areas of fiscal risk that the District must address as it works toward balancing its budget over the next three years.
The findings place increased pressure on LAUSD and the Board of Education to make difficult financial decisions. But those decisions must be carefully examined, transparently communicated, and evaluated for their impact on employees, students, and school communities.
Fiscal responsibility matters. So does ensuring that the solutions do not place an unfair burden on the very people who keep our schools operating and our students learning.
2. The Fiscal Stabilization Plan: What Is on the Table?
The District’s Fiscal Stabilization Plan identifies several potential cost-saving measures that deserve our close attention.
Furlough Days — $50 Million in Proposed Savings
The plan identifies furlough days as a potential source of $50 million in savings. Any proposal affecting employee workdays, compensation, or working conditions must be addressed through the appropriate collective bargaining process.
Health Benefits — $50 Million in Proposed Savings
The plan also identifies $50 million in potential savings related to health benefits. Our members’ health and the security of their families are not line items to be changed unilaterally. Any changes to negotiated benefits must be addressed with labor partners at the bargaining table, consistent with our collective bargaining agreement and applicable law.
Let us be clear: These are proposals, not final decisions. Our union will insist that any changes affecting our members be addressed through the proper negotiations process.
Our members deserve a meaningful voice in decisions that directly affect their livelihoods, their families, and their futures.
3. Affiliated Charter School Block Grant: A Critical Concern
One of the most concerning proposals in the Fiscal Stabilization Plan is the elimination of funding for the Affiliated Charter School Block Grant, identified as a potential savings of $10 million.
The consequences could be devastating for school programs, staffing, and the communities that depend on these resources.
Many affiliated charter schools are not Title I schools, raising additional questions about how they would replace this funding and maintain current services if the Block Grant were eliminated.
The question remains: How are these schools expected to operate without the Charter Block Grant?
This proposal deserves serious scrutiny for several reasons:
Programs and personnel are at risk. Losing this funding could force schools to make difficult choices that directly affect students, employees, and essential services.
Enrollment trends tell an important story. Despite the District’s overall enrollment decline, some affiliated charter schools continue to attract families and maintain significant waitlists. These schools may be helping bring and retain students within LAUSD.
Academic outcomes matter. Available school-level data indicating strong academic performance should be part of any serious evaluation of the value these schools provide.
If these schools are serving students effectively, attracting families, and contributing to the District’s educational mission, then eliminating a critical source of funding raises fundamental questions about the District’s priorities.
We must ask whether this proposal truly supports the District’s long-term financial stability—or risks undermining successful school communities and the programs that help them thrive.
Our union labor attorneys are meeting with and supporting affiliated charter school principals to examine the legal considerations surrounding this proposal and assess its potential impact.
We will continue to seek answers, evaluate the facts, and advocate for our affiliated charter schools, their employees, and their students.
The Bigger Question: Where Is the Money Going?
One of the most important questions is the relationship between California’s increased per-student education funding and the financial challenges LAUSD continues to face.
According to the figures discussed, California’s annual cost-adjusted per-student funding increased from $11,736 in 2016–17, when the state ranked 34th nationally, to $19,894 in 2022–23, when it ranked 13th.
That is a substantial increase in per-student funding.
Yet we continue to hear that the District does not have sufficient resources to meet the needs of our students, employees, and school communities.
This raises an essential question: If per-student funding has increased so significantly, why are our schools still facing financial uncertainty and proposals for cuts that could affect employees, benefits, programs, and school operations?
We need more than broad statements about budget shortfalls. We need transparency, accountability, and a clear understanding of how funding is received, allocated, and spent.
Increased funding alone does not automatically resolve every financial challenge. Enrollment changes, rising operating costs, restricted funding, and long-term obligations all matter. But these factors make it even more important to understand the full financial picture before making decisions that could have lasting consequences.
Our members, students, and communities deserve clear answers and responsible planning—not decisions made without fully considering their impact.
What Happens Next? Your Union Is Taking Action.
The challenges ahead are real, but so is our collective strength.
Your AALA Teamsters leadership will continue to:
Monitor the District’s financial decisions and examine the findings and implications of the FCMAT report.
Demand transparency and accountability regarding the Fiscal Stabilization Plan and the District’s proposed cost-saving measures.
Protect our collective bargaining rights and insist that proposals affecting negotiated wages, workdays, and benefits be addressed through the appropriate bargaining process.
Support affiliated charter schools as we examine the proposed elimination of the Charter Block Grant and its potential legal, financial, and operational consequences.
Keep our members informed and engaged as new information becomes available and important decisions move forward.
Your participation matters. Staying informed, asking questions, sharing concerns, and showing up when it counts are all essential parts of effective union advocacy.
Closing Message: Our Strength Is in Our Unity
The October 8 Representative Assembly was more than a meeting. It was a reminder that our union is strongest when our members are informed, engaged, and standing together.
We recognize the District’s financial challenges, and we understand the need for responsible fiscal planning. But fiscal responsibility cannot mean placing the burden of difficult decisions on employees, weakening successful school communities, or cutting essential programs without a clear understanding of the consequences.
Our members are not just numbers in a budget. Our schools are not just line items on a spreadsheet. And our students deserve more than decisions driven by short-term savings.
We will continue to ask the hard questions. We will demand transparency. We will defend our contractual rights. We will stand with our affiliated charter school communities. And we will hold decision-makers accountable for ensuring that financial solutions serve the best interests of our members and the students and families who depend on us.
Thank you to every member who took the time to attend, listen, contribute, and stay engaged after a demanding day. Your presence sends a powerful message: AALA Teamsters members are paying attention, and we are ready to act.
Stay informed. Stay involved. Stay united.
When we stand together, our voices are stronger, our advocacy is more effective, and our ability to protect what matters most is greater.
In solidarity,
Maria Nichols, AALA/Teamsters 2010 President
