PLEASANTON, Calif. — Pleasanton Unified School District trustees voted 3-2 on Oct. 22 to increase their monthly stipends from $463 to $1,200, a raise of approximately 159% that takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. The decision comes as the district continues negotiating a contract with its teachers and works to recover from financial difficulties that prompted a budget warning less than a year ago.
Board President Kelly Baehr and trustees Laurie Walker and Charlie Jones supported the increase. Trustees Mary Jo Carreon and Justin Brown voted against it, according to the Pleasanton Weekly's account of the meeting.
The increase was made possible by a change in California law. Until this year, the state capped school board compensation at $60 to $1,500 per month, depending on a district's average daily attendance. Those limits had last been revised in 1984.
Assembly Bill 1390, which took effect Jan. 1, 2026, raised the allowable range to $600 to $4,500 per month. For a district of Pleasanton's size, with approximately 13,000 students, the new maximum is $2,000 per month.
Each school board determines its own compensation within the limits established by law. Boards may also approve annual increases of up to 5%, including increases that exceed the statutory maximum. Under district bylaws, trustees are not required to accept the stipend.
If all five trustees accept the full amount, their combined annual stipends will increase from $27,780 to $72,000, adding $44,220 in annual costs. The district's student trustee is not eligible for the stipend.
Photo Credit: Pleasanton Unified School District
Proposal Faced Earlier Opposition
The discussion began in June when Baehr asked the district's policy committee to consider increasing trustee compensation to the $2,000 monthly maximum.
Residents raised objections during public comment, questioning whether the increase was appropriate given the district's financial challenges.
The committee initially set the proposal aside, leaving open the possibility of revisiting it as the district's financial position improved.
Baehr later suggested a monthly stipend between $1,600 and $1,800 before the board settled on $1,200.
Supporters Say Higher Stipends Could Encourage More Candidates
Trustees supporting the increase argued that higher compensation could make school board service more accessible to residents who balance employment, family responsibilities and public service.
Jones said the existing stipend could discourage working parents and lower-income residents from seeking office, leaving board positions more accessible to retirees and financially secure candidates.
He also said improvements in the district's financial outlook had eased his earlier concerns about increasing compensation.
Baehr, who described herself as a single mother, pointed to neighboring districts that had recently increased trustee compensation. She cited Dublin Unified School District, where trustees increased their monthly stipends to $1,600.
Walker, who cast the deciding vote, supported the increase as a way to attract a broader pool of candidates while acknowledging the district's financial challenges.
Opponents Question Timing Amid Teacher Negotiations
Trustees opposing the increase said the timing was inappropriate while the district continues negotiating with employee unions.
Brown acknowledged that higher compensation could make school board service more accessible. However, he questioned approving a new ongoing expense for trustees while the district was asking employee unions to limit ongoing costs.
Carreon expressed similar concerns, saying she could not support increasing trustee stipends before teachers received a raise. She suggested reconsidering the issue when the district reaches a new agreement with the Association of Pleasanton Teachers.
Evan Branning, president of the teachers union, also raised concerns about the decision.
According to the Pleasanton Weekly, Branning reminded trustees that educators and staff had received layoff notices during the district's previous round of budget reductions. He said contract negotiations had continued for approximately a year and a half.
The district's published negotiations updates show that salary and benefit issues remain unresolved.
District Continues Working Through Financial Challenges
The stipend increase comes after a difficult financial period for Pleasanton Unified.
In December 2025, the district submitted a negative certification on its interim budget, formally indicating that it might be unable to meet its financial obligations. The certification brought additional oversight from the Alameda County Office of Education.
The board approved approximately $11.2 million in budget reductions for the current school year. Subsequent changes involving state funding, labor negotiations and staff attrition reduced the amount to approximately $8.4 million.
According to the district's October 2026 negotiations update, Pleasanton Unified remained under a negative budget certification but was working toward improved fiscal stability.
The district has also acknowledged that declining student enrollment continues to affect its revenue.
Increase Takes Effect After November Election
The higher stipends will take effect Jan. 1, 2027, shortly after the November school board election.
Three of the district's five trustee seats are on the Nov. 3 ballot, with newly elected trustees scheduled to take office in December.
The district's next interim budget report, expected in December, will provide another indication of whether its financial condition has improved.
The board's next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 12.
The decision leaves Pleasanton Unified with two continuing issues: implementing higher compensation for elected trustees and reaching a contract agreement with the teachers responsible for serving the district's students.
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