To demonstrate its commitment to a deal with the teachers union to save nearly 1,500 jobs, the San Diego school board voted Friday night to approve the agreement should teachers vote to accept it in an upcoming election.

Under the newly forged deal, teachers would forgo negotiated raises and continue furloughs for the third and fourth years while retaining their automatic “step and column” pay boosts. The San Diego Unified School District would rescind 1,481 teacher layoffs and offer a couple of special financial incentives to retiring and senior-level teachers.

If California voters reject Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax-increase measure in November, 14 more furlough days could kick in.

But even if Brown’s ballot initiative passes, San Diego Unified would still face an $80 million deficit in the 2013-14 academic year. That means hundreds of teachers would once again face layoffs, and the threat of increased class sizes would resurface.

About 7,000 members of the San Diego Education Association are voting through Tuesday on the tentative agreement. If more than half approve it in the paper-ballot election, the deal would go before the school board for ratification Thursday.

Board Vice President Scott Barnett is the only trustee to oppose the pact, which he said is bad for students because it lays the groundwork for a significantly shorter school year.

His suggested alternatives include making cuts to health care and changing how those benefits are managed, along with further reducing transportation and administration costs.

Meanwhile, a group of parent leaders urged the board to avoid any more cuts to the school year. They said a truncated year would cause the most harm to the most vulnerable students: those struggling to learn English, coping with disabilities and dealing with poverty.


