Sanger Unified teachers say they were blindsided when district officials reversed course and applied for an exemption to a state law that requires unified school districts to devote 55% of their budgets to classroom teacher salaries.

However, the district says that an outdated California law doesn’t reflect the services and staff needed to educate students today. That situation leaves them with no choice but to seek the waiver, which they have done for the past two years.

Meanwhile, a Madera Unified teachers union chief maintains that districts have diverted resources away from credentialed teachers and instead have invested in outside consultants. Instead of changing the law, districts and county schools superintendents should be working harder to uphold it, said David Holder, president

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