The University of California operates three K-12 schools—UCLA Lab School, the Geffen Academy (UCLA), and the Preuss School (UCSD). These schools have their own administrations which are supervised by deans at the three campuses. Instructors at these schools are part of UC-AFT’s Unit 18 Teaching Faculty Bargaining Unit and many of the rights and protections outlined in the Unit 18 contract apply to them as well. Each school has also negotiated its own Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), what we often call a “side-letter” to address the specific needs and working conditions of K-12 instructors and substitute teachers.
This page attempts to provide information about the specific areas of our K-12 side-letters that differ from the Unit 18 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). None of the information provided here is intended to be static or exhaustive. Your situation may have subtleties and nuances that are not captured by the general summary below. Or, you may simply have questions that aren’t addressed here. The best way to learn about your rights as a K-12 instructor is to connect with colleagues on your campus.
As a union-represented faculty member, you’re entitled to fair wages. Our collective bargaining agreement (CBA) generally provides for minimum salaries and raises by outlining a salary scale for fair and transparent compensation on all UC campuses. Everyone covered by our contract teaching faculty should have a full-time salary rate that appears on the scale. Some schools have specified minimum salaries for new teachers with certain academic qualifications. In all cases, though, you can and should negotiate a starting salary that reflects your experience, credentials, and expertise.
Each UC-affiliated K-12 School has negotiated its own salary scale in their campus MOU.
- UCLA Lab School https://app.box.com/s/hpis4j10l72nkf2cns20t37y8ackc7ab
- Geffen Academy – See Article 21 and Appendix A for the minimum and maximum salaries. Yearly increases are 3% per year.
- Preuss Academy – Salary Schedule
If you believe your compensation does not reflect the Salary Scale for your campus, contact your campus representative immediately.
Like other Unit 18 teaching faculty, K-12 instructors have a right to performance-based decisions about rehiring, merit-based salary increases upon reappointment, and regular reviews as part of multi-year appointments. Each school handles this somewhat differently given its particular culture and history, and so you should consult the side-letter for your school to see the details.
While the application process works differently than for Unit 18 lecturers, all K-12 instructors can request funds to cover expenses related to continuing education, professional development, and/or public engagement. The activities covered may include (but are not limited to):
- professional meetings, conferences, workshops
- Academic training (e.g., taking courses related to teaching responsibilities at UC)
- Seminar, workshop, conference or studio attendance fees
- Software, hardware, and technical support equipment for use in research and/or teaching (including in special cases the purchase of books, films, or software in preparation for teaching assignments) that will remain University property
- Travel expenses related to teaching, research, or other scholarly endeavors
Each UC-affiliated K-12 school has slightly different processes for accessing these additional funds. Learn more here
- UCLA Lab School (Article 19)
- Geffen Academy (Article 8)
- Preuss Academy (Article 9)
In addition to funding for professional development and public engagement, K-12 instructors also have access to funds to cover the costs of books, art supplies, and other instructional support materials. When instructors perform additional services for their campus (ex. coaching), you also have a right to an additional stipend.
Each UC-affiliated K-12 school has slightly different processes for accessing these additional funds. Learn more here
Your campus MOU specifies the exact number and length of instructional days when you are expected to work. They also outline specific periods of time for you to plan and prepare for your classes. These can include daily time reserved for planning as well as “pupil-free” days/hours before, during, and after the academic year. Consult your campus MOU for more details.
- UCLA Geffen Academy
- UCSD Preuss Academy
- Class Size – 35 maximum students in the academic classes
- Instructional Days – 198 days per year
- School Day – 8:55 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (6 hours and 32 minutes per day)
- Professional Development – 105 minutes per week per teacher.
- UCLA Lab School
- A full instructional day for ECI – UPPER II shall be from 8:15 a.m.- 2:45 p.m. Each full instructional day will include at least 45 minutes of planning time.
- The number of work days in an academic year shall not exceed 188 days*
- Demonstration Teachers shall hold academic year appointments (9/12) with a service period of approximately nine (9) months, beginning no more than a week before instruction begins. Academic year appointments shall be paid over twelve (12) months from July 1 through June 30.
K-12 instructors have the same access to Paid Family Leave, Parental Care and Family Bonding Leave, and other types of leaves as all Unit 18 Teaching Faculty.
K-12 instructors may also receive additional Personal Time Off days taken in full-day or half-day increments, depending on their campus and hiring date
- UCLA Lab School (Article 12) – 8 personal days, 7 sick days (can roll over)
- Geffen Academy (Article 12, section 2) – Sick leave accrues at one day per month for ten (10) months per academic year. Educators may use up to five (5) days of sick leave per academic school year for personal leave.
- Preuss School (Article 12) – Bargaining unit members may use up to six (6) days of sick leave per academic school year for personal leave. Teachers may use up to ten (10) days of sick leave for bereavement leave for members in their family or household.
K-12 instructors represented by UC-AFT have equal standing to other teaching faculty and librarians in their local campus chapters. In addition, each of our UC-AFT K-12 schools can elect their own campus leadership, write their own bylaws, and determine their own governance structure.
UCLA Lab School has an elected Executive Committee (Ex Comm) usually composed of 4 Demonstration Teachers. The Executive Committee helps members understand their rights, understand our side letter (contract), and can attend meetings with members when necessary. Ex Comm also convenes regular union meetings and facilitates creation of agendas for those meetings.
UCLA Geffen Academy has a 3-person Executive Committee elected by all members of the Chapter. Additionally, members of each department elects a Department Steward to represent individual departments. Executive Committee members and Department stewards serve 2-year terms. In advance of bargaining negotiations, members elect 3 Bargaining Delegates to serve as the Bargaining Team.
UCSD Preuss Academy
Like other Unit 18 teaching faculty, K-12 instructors have a right to written feedback on their teaching, including classroom observation, and regular reviews as part of multi-year appointments. The assessment process works differently at each school:
- UCLA Lab School: The Lab School follows main contract Article 31.
- Geffen Academy: Academic review file including:
- Educator self-appraisal
- A Pre-Observation Meeting between the Educator and an Evaluation Team member, during which the Educator will have the opportunity to present their curriculum map, syllabus, sample assessments, or other documents which might better contextualize the lesson which the Evaluation Team member will observe
- A classroom observation by an Evaluation Team member
- A GA Educator Post-Observation Reflection by the reviewed GA Educator
- Relevant information supplied by the reviewed Educator, GA Educator’s Department Chair, Dean of Faculty, and/or Division Director(s) (Article 31)
- Preuss School: Performance assessments are based on teaching observations, Lesson plans, and self-evaluation forms. Bargaining unit members in their first five (5) years shall be observed at least once each semester. Bargaining unit members in their six (6) year or more shall be observed at least once in an academic year. Observations evaluate the following criteria:
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- Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning;
- Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning;
- Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning;
- Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for All Students;
- Assessing Students for Learning;
- Developing as a Professional Educator.
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