The Abridged version:
Two Sacramento County teacher unions have been on strike for more than a week. A third group, in West Sacramento, is ready to follow.
Bargaining between the teachers union and Washington Unified in West Sacramento is in the last round before a strike can legally occur. District and union officials said they expect this stage to last a few weeks.
Washington Unified approved emergency plans to keep schools open in case of a strike. Parents say they are nervous seeing the disruption in nearby Sacramento schools.
West Sacramento teachers are gearing up to follow the lead of their neighbors in Sacramento County and stage the district’s first-ever strike.
On Tuesday, Union members and district officials began their final round of negotiations, a last-ditch effort to prevent a work stoppage.
A potential strike is likely still weeks away. And bargaining teams stress they are still hoping to come to an agreement.
Teachers in Washington Unified, West Sacramento’s school district, are making many of the same demands as their neighbors in Sacramento County.
Strikes in Twin Rivers Unified and Natomas Unified have stretched beyond a week, as educators in both continue to spar with the districts over significant pay raises, 100% employer-funded health care and smaller class sizes.
Schools in these North Sacramento districts have stayed open through the teacher strikes. Washington Unified officials last month approved a contingency plan to keep campuses running, including employing substitutes at up $500 a day.
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When would a strike happen in West Sacramento?
A teacher strike in West Sacramento would probably occur at the soonest in early April, according to union members.
Bargaining teams and a neutral mediator met Tuesday. District spokesperson Giorgos Kazanis said a second meeting is scheduled for March 24, during spring break.
Schools in Washington Unified will be on break starting Monday, March 23, until Monday, April 6.
Parents and teachers stage a protest at the Washington Unified School District office on March 17, 2026. (Cameron Clark)
The entire process preceding a strike can last several weeks, according to an FAQ page created by the district for families.
“The timeline depends on scheduling panel sessions, reviewing evidence, and preparing the final report,” the webpage says. The mediator’s report will include recommendations for a compromise and contract.
Families plan for worst case scenario
Rachel Usher, a mom of two, said she and other working families are using the weeks of anticipation to prepare.
“We scramble to find different plans,” Usher said. “Grandparents, missing work, whatever we can really find.”
Parents and teachers stage a protest at the Washington Unified School District office on March 17, 2026. (Cameron Clark)
She is particularly concerned for her child with special needs. Should a strike occur, she said she worries, “Who’s going to be with them? Who’s going to be doing their accommodations? What is it going to look like?”
Families experiencing the Sacramento County teacher strikes have said they are frustrated with the stalled negotiations and the district’s decisions to keep schools open. Many expressed worry about the atypical conditions their students are expressing, including missed learning time.
Parents ‘show solidarity’ with teachers.
Julieta Guardado works in the cafeteria at Riverbank Elementary School and has two kids enrolled in Washington Unified. Like Usher, Guardado was at a rally Tuesday, led by the West Sacramento Teachers Association outside the district’s central office.
“It’s really important to show solidarity,” Guardado said, through a Spanish translator.
Parents and teachers stage a protest at the Washington Unified School District office on March 17, 2026. (Cameron Clark)
Around 3:30 p.m., about 50 people — teachers, parents and children — gathered in a symbolic picket line, as union and district leaders were inside negotiating. By the time the rally ended hours later, a member of the union organizing team said about 300 people had checked in over the course of the event.
“It’s unfortunate,” that educators are having to consider this step, Usher said.
“This didn’t need to happen,” she said. “And there’s still time to make it right.”
Savannah Kuchar is a reporter covering education. She came to Sacramento to be a part of the Abridged team and contribute to a crucial local news source.