After more than a year of negotiations, contract talks between Saddleback Valley teachers and district officials have reached an impasse over disagreements over class sizes and special education caseloads.
The conflict came to a head over Labor Day weekend, as Saddleback Valley Educators Association said in a press release that Saddleback Valley Unified School District, despite receiving $30 million in new funding, has refused to invest in smaller classes and support for special education teachers – two “long overdue improvements” that negatively affect “student safety, learning conditions, and the district’s highest-needs learners.”
The roughly 1,000 teachers in Saddleback Valley Unified, which includes schools in Mission Viejo, Lake Forest and Laguna Hills, have been working without a new contract since last spring. Though the district and the teachers’ union have reached agreements on salary and benefits, issues over class size and special education caseloads remain unresolved, district representative Alyssa Griffiths said.
“SVUSD remains committed to reaching a mutually acceptable resolution that supports employees, students, and the district’s long-term fiscal stability,” Griffiths said in a statement.
Union leaders and district administrators failed to reach an agreement on the two issues following 12 hours of fact-finding and mediation on Friday, Sept. 4, the union said in a Facebook post.
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Members and supporters of the Saddleback Valley Educators Association listen as Mandy DeGroote speaks during the union’s rally for smaller class sizes and caseloads for special needs educators outside the Saddleback Valley Unified School District in Mission Viejo, California on Sept. 4, 2026. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)
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Members and supporters of the Saddleback Valley Educators Association listen as Mandy DeGroote speaks during the union’s rally for smaller class sizes and caseloads for special needs educators outside the Saddleback Valley Unified School District in Mission Viejo, California on Sept. 4, 2026. (Photo by Erin Burk, Contributing Photographer)
Dozens of teachers held a rally in Mission Viejo on Friday calling for smaller classes and additional special education support as stalled talks moved to the fact-finding stage. Many were dressed in yellow shirts emblazoned with “Smaller Classes Brighter Futures” and hoisting signs reading “Honk for Teachers.”
In addition to the two main demands, the teachers are also fighting for more classroom resources such as updated textbooks, modern technology, and essential learning tools.
“We’re just demanding to be treated as professionals and give students and parents and taxpayers what they deserve and pay for,” said Maureen Kinney, a French teacher at Trabuco Hills High School.