OUEA Updates

The Board approved the agreement between the District and OUEA on May 21, 2026. The Tentative Agreement (TA) and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) between the Orange Unified School District (OUSD) and the Orange Unified Educators Association (OUEA) were signed on April 20, 2026. The agreement covers various improvements to compensation, benefits, and working conditions for the 2025-2026 school year.

Highlights from the agreement are as follows:

Article 2 — Compensation and Benefits

• Salary Increase: A 4% on-schedule salary increase for the 2025-2026 school year, retroactive to July 1, 2025.
• One-Time Payment: A flat $785 off-schedule payment will be issued around October 1, 2026, to eligible members in paid status.
• Health Insurance: The District increased its maximum annual contributions for health premiums effective October 2026:
  • Employee Only: Increased to $9,796 (from $8,796)
  • Employee + 1: Increased to $19,157 (from $17,657)
  • Family: Increased to $24,576 (from $22,576)

Appendices

• Dual Immersion: TK-6 teachers in Mandarin or Spanish programs receive $333 per trimester, up to $1,000 annually. (Prior MOU — introduced into the contract for the first time.)
• Elementary ILT: Members of the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) will receive $1,500 per year. Cost: six (6) per site.

Article 9 — Class Size / Teaching Load / Workload

• Counselor Ratios: The District will use reasonable efforts to assign an elementary counselor at each elementary school site.
• Rostering of Special Education Students: Students on an IEP receiving mainstreaming minutes for more than 50% of the day (or longer) will be rostered accordingly.

Article 13 — Working Facilities

• Facilities: Classrooms must be well-lighted and climate-controlled. The District will extend cooling run-times for one hour after instruction ends.

Article 6 — Hours

• Meeting Limits: IEP, SST, and 504 meetings must start within 10 minutes of the end of the student day and must conclude within 60 minutes.

Article 5 — Student Control

• Behavioral Framework: A joint committee (BSFSC) will continue developing a multi-tiered behavioral response framework, with a progress update due by October 31, 2026.

MOUs for 2026-2027

• Retirement Stipend: A one-time $1,700 stipend for members who submit an irrevocable retirement notice by June 1, 2026, provided they have at least 15 years of service with the District.
• SAI Workload: For the 2026-2027 pilot, general education elementary teachers whose rosters exceed 33% SAI students are eligible for a stipend up to $1,000. Includes renewal of the $1,000 stipend for elementary SDC.
• TK/K Meet and Greet Committee: Committee to address TK/K Meet and Greets; teachers may receive 3 hours if not held during the first day of school in 2026-2027. Intent is to standardize practice districtwide and hold the Meet and Greet on the first day for students.
• Nurse Additional Days: Renewal of an extra 3 days; MOU has been in place since as far back as 2025.
• OUEA President Release: Renewal — the District is reimbursed the cost of replacement. The only additional cost to the District is the cost of 8 days for a job-share partner to provide continuity of programming on 8 overlap days.
• Substitute Coverage: Renewal MOU allowing OUEA members to provide coverage for classrooms when no substitute is available.