Teachers in Natomas reached a deal with their district late Wednesday night, putting an end to a strike that left 16,000 Sacramento kids without classroom teachers for seven consecutive school days.
The two-year agreement between Natomas Unified School District and its teachers grants educators improved compensation and health care benefits.
“We appreciate the work and efforts of all involved to reach an agreement,” the district wrote in a brief news release.
Teachers will report back to their classrooms Thursday for a “transition day” and a full return to instruction on Friday. Substitutes and administrators will be help supervise classrooms and assist teachers with gaining access to facilities and teaching materials.
“This tentative agreement is an important step toward ensuring Natomas Unified School District provides our students with the safe, stable, fully-funded schools they deserve,” said Natomas Teachers Association President Nico Vaccaro.
“The outpouring of support for our struggle only strengthened our resolve at the table. As frontline educators in our community, we know this fight is not just for ourselves and our students, but for the future of public education in our community.”
The agreement came after state Sen. Angelique Ashby, D-Sacramento, joined the bargaining table Wednesday afternoon. The two parties came to an agreement about health care, which set the rest of the contract negotiations into motion, according to a union representative.
The details of the tentative agreement will be revealed Thursday morning.
Teachers had already secured a number of tentative agreements prior to Wednesday, including lower special education caseloads, increased safety measures and additional stipends.
Strike-fueled tensions between the school community and the district grew to new highs this week. Monday began with a student-led walkout at Natomas High School. The following day a parent was arrested for holding a sit-in at the district office, demanding to speak with administrators about ending the strike.
Teachers in Natomas have been on strike since March 10. On several days, Natomas teachers marched alongside those of Twin Rivers Unified School District, who have been striking since March 5 for similar reasons. No agreement came from a Wednesday afternoon bargaining session between the Twin Rivers district and its union.
Each strike is a part of a statewide campaign organized by the California Teachers Association to synchronize local union contracts at 32 districts to end around the same time.
This story was originally published March 19, 2026 at 12:22 AM.
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Jennah Pendleton is an education reporter for The Sacramento Bee. She previously covered schools and culture in the San Francisco Bay Area. She grew up in Orange County and is a graduate of the University of Oregon.