The union has said that while OUSD insists it cannot afford to pay higher wages, it spends a significant amount of money on consultants and outside contractors to provide some services, instead of investing in its employees.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat money, we\u2019re asking to be reinvested in classrooms,\u201d Taiz-Rancifer said.<\/p>\n
She said that instead of hiring a psychologist for a campus, for example, OUSD sometimes contracts with one through an outside company.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you contract out that position, you\u2019re actually costing the district nearly double the amount of money that you would for somebody who works in the district,\u201d she said, adding that sometimes, the contractor works remotely, which requires another adult to supervise. \u201cAnd in addition, you\u2019re not getting the same kind of quality\u2026 [as] hiring somebody on-site that actually could build a relationship, build rapport.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC7276_qed.jpg\")
Hundreds of Oakland teachers and their supporters converged on Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in front of City Hall on May 4, 2023. (Aryk Copley for KQED)<\/p>\n
The fact-finding report found that OUSD spent $316,000 on one outside consultant alone last year. It said the district needs to \u201cwean itself\u201d off consultants and outside contracts by increasing district wages to be more competitive.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the district is hiring consultants because they do not have enough qualified employees to handle the positions, then that supports the claim that wages are insufficient to recruit and retain the personnel needed,\u201d wrote the fact-finding panel chairperson, Cheryl Stevens.<\/p>\n
The report also said that throughout two days of hearings, the union wanted to bargain over other non-wage-related issues \u2014 including changes to the district\u2019s Newcomer program for immigrants and English language learners, and continuation schools \u2014 that the district seemed less interested in discussing. Still, Stevens wrote that she believes if the parties can reach an agreement on salaries, they can avert a strike.<\/p>\n
OEA has said it doesn\u2019t plan to strike imminently and is still interested in returning to the bargaining table.<\/p>\n
\u201c[OUSD] can avert a strike if they bring something to the table that educators are willing to accept,\u201d Taiz-Rancifer said. \u201cThey need to come with a real offer.\u201d<\/p>\n