SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - Teachers, parents and students are rallying Thursday over what they say are "severe classroom issues" in the San Diego Unified School District.
Recently, the San Diego Unified Board of Education promised to balance the failing budget, reduce class sizes and finance classroom projects without laying off workers or selling property. However, the district is $18 to $30 million short on funds.
They have five bargaining proposals. The first is lowering class sizes. The second is providing more counselors, nurses and special-education support, followed by more enrichment classes for elementary students and improving teachers' planning time, salary and benefits.
Teachers gathered more than 5,000 signatures in support of their demand for a 10.25 percent raise over the next two years versus the two percent raise offered by the district.
San Diego Unified says the state has not restored funding from the most recent recession.
Contract bargaining began in May of 2014. Teachers believe the district can afford the money after Prop 30 was passed and raised California taxes to pay for schools.
The first rally started at 6:45 a.m. Thursday at Scripps Ranch High School. Three other rallies are planned at other elementary schools until 12:30 p.m. at Miramar Ranch Elementary, Ellen Browning Scripps Elementary and Hancock Elementary.