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Definition of terms:
Preparation Time and Enrichment Advisory Committee (PTEAC):
Site level committee that collaborate on an equitable schedule. (See 8.6.4.7. in contract)
Joint District-SDEA Elementary Preparation and Enrichment Committee:
District-level committee collaborates on issues that come up with prep time implementation and identifies possible areas to bargain over in the next contract. (See sideletter & 8.6.2 in contract.)
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What should I do if I am missing my prep time?
3. Are enrichment teachers part of the shared decision-making process?
4. Can schools use enrichment teachers as Visiting teachers or Noon Duty personnel?
5. What happens when an enrichment teacher is absent?
6. As an enrichment teacher, can I be directed to teach outside my emphasis area?
7. How do schools change their preparation emphasis?
9. How does prep time work at a K-8 school when elementary and secondary prep time is different?
12. What are the requirements for each enrichment subject area?
What should I do if I am missing my prep time?
Scheduling elementary prep time has been more complex in the 2024-25 school year. SDEA members have reported a variety of issues, including:
- Not enough prep teachers allocated at some sites
- Vacancies even when prep teachers are allocated, leading to missed prep time
- Fully staffed sites struggling to reschedule missed prep due to holidays or other disruptions
Recently the Joint District-SDEA Elementary Preparation & Enrichment Committee agreed on a solution [Read the full agreement here.]
- Visiting Teachers will cover any missed prep time before the end of the school year. They may follow pre-planned PE lessons, eliminating extra prep work for educators (so that they can use prep time to actually prep!). If you are owed prep time, reach out to your site administrator to start this process now!
- When a site is fully staffed, a schedule analysis will help determine whether enrichment teacher allocation adjustments are needed at sites with ongoing scheduling challenges.
This will ensure that all educators can receive their full prep time, including make-ups, as intended.
How is prep time and the number of enrichment teachers calculated? Is there a cap on the number of classes enrichment teachers teach?
In past contracts, there was language specifying 23 as a general limit to the number of teachers the prep time teacher would provide prep to. [8.6.5.1. in the 2020-22 contract] This language was used as the basis for an allocation formula created by the SDUSD Finance Department, which dictated how enrichment teachers were allocated to school sites. It was never intended as a cap on the number of prep “periods” an enrichment teacher could give. The prior language with a general limit has been replaced with Appendix M in the current contract, which is the formula used to allocate the number of elementary enrichment teachers assigned to each school, based on the number of classroom teachers. This formula has increased the amount of dedicated prep time for all teachers. One outcome of the increase in prep time is that each enrichment teacher covers more teachers. While there is no limit to the number of separate classes an enrichment teacher can teach, nor how many teachers they can cover, enrichment teachers must still get their prep time as well, which is the same amount of time (180 minutes bi-weekly, plus modified day time) as all other teachers.
Are enrichment teachers part of the shared decision-making process?
The Elementary Preparation and Enrichment Program is governed by a site’s Preparation Time and Enrichment Advisory Committee (PTEAC). The purpose of this committee is to assist with the operation of the program. This is a place for the administrator, Association Rep, and enrichment teacher(s) to all have a voice. Additional members can participate but are not required. [8.6.4.7.]
It is recommended that the PTEAC is balanced so that the voice of the enrichment teacher(s) is not outweighed, and so that decisions can be made as a cooperative team. The enrichment teacher(s) (both full and part-time) should have an equal voice in the decisions made, including the creation of the schedule, how to handle shortened weeks, or how to utilize additional blocks. One acceptable practice would be for the enrichment teacher(s) to create the schedule, and then share it with the PTEAC for adjustments and revisions to ensure it meets the needs of the whole site and complies with the contractual rights of all unit members.
If an enrichment teacher is handed a prewritten schedule by the administrator, this is a violation of our union contract.
Can schools use enrichment teachers as Visiting teachers or Noon Duty personnel?
Elementary enrichment teachers have historically been utilized as the go-to solution for coverage – whether for additional supervisory duties or emergency classroom coverage. Both are violations of the contract. Elementary enrichment teachers can only be asked to engage in emergency class coverage during their own prep time, like any other SDEA unit members [Section 8.9.1.].
If an enrichment teacher has been pulled to cover a class and it is not during their prep time, a grievance should be filed on behalf of both the enrichment teacher and the classroom teachers who did not receive their preparation time during the coverage. It is recommended that grievances filed by regular classroom teachers on their missed preparation time in this situation include remedies such as compensation or other remedies that are not provided by the enrichment teacher (such as more or additional prep time.)
Keep in mind that although unit members can be asked to cover classes in emergencies, if this emergency coverage exceeds more than one hour per academic year they should be compensated. Per our contract, emergency coverage should be “reasonable and equitable,” which means that enrichment teachers should not be treated as an emergency substitute. [Section 8.9.1] A shortage of subs (such as the shortage experienced due to COVID) does not negate this contract language.
What happens when an enrichment teacher is absent?
Enrichment teachers have the same rights and opportunities as classroom teachers to use leave as needed. Visiting teachers (VTs) shall be provided during an enrichment teacher’s absence, just as for a classroom teacher. In the past, enrichment teachers were pressured to not take leave because it was argued that classroom teachers would lose their preparation time if no VT was provided. The contract is clear that an enrichment teacher’s absence will be covered by a VT [Section 8.6.4.3.]. It is NOT the enrichment teacher’s responsibility to “make up” lost preparation time for classroom teachers if a VT does not pick up the job, cancels, or is pulled to cover another classroom.
Consider this: If an enrichment teacher were to have an illness that kept them out for a week or more and no VT covered their assignment, are they expected to “make up” the entire week of preparation time for Classroom teachers? Possible remedies can be decided on a case-by-case basis by the PTEAC as a collaborative decision, but should not require the enrichment teacher to take on inequitable or unreasonable amounts of work.
As an enrichment teacher, can I be directed to teach outside my emphasis area?
Enrichment teachers only teach within their emphasis area. The purpose of the enrichment teacher, beyond providing preparation time, is to offer enrichment in a specific subject area that is selected through the Site Governance Team. They cannot be required to provide any support or instruction other than in the selected emphasis area. For example, if you are a PE enrichment teacher, you can not be required to provide literacy instruction. [Section 8.6.5.6.]
Note that an attempt to pull an enrichment teacher to cover a regular classroom involves teaching outside of their emphasis. Even if the enrichment teacher possesses the appropriate credential or certificate in addition to their assigned emphasis, the enrichment teacher cannot be required to teach anything outside of the site’s emphasis area. [Section 8.6.5.6.] The exception would be emergency coverage, which applies to all unit members. [See above, and Section 8.9.1.]
How do schools change their preparation emphasis?
Preparation emphasis changes must follow a protocol. Any change in emphasis at the school site must be decided through the Site Governance Team. Proposals for changes must be presented through this process, and the current elementary enrichment teacher(s) MUST be notified and allowed an opportunity to participate and present their views. Any emphasis changes that occur must be turned in to the district-level PTEAC by February 1st, in the year before the change takes effect. (See the District bulletin here about the February 1, 2025 deadline.) Emphasis allocations should be kept whole (1.0). If the allocation is a whole AND a partial, then the emphasis area can be split, as long as one of them remains whole (example: 1.2 allocation can be split 1.0 science + 0.2 PE). [Section 8.6.3.]
With the introduction of Proposition 28-funded mandatory VAPA enrichment at all sites, elementary schools get a portion of their prep time served by VAPA teachers. This emphasis can be modified, ideally by the SGT, depending on the availability of properly credentialed teachers in the VAPA department. As a new development for this year, there will most likely be changes as to how this process works in future years, and it will be subject to negotiations in the upcoming year.
How is my schedule built?
(Updated with ratification of 2025-26 CBA)
Per the contract, 180 minutes of preparation time will be provided bi-weekly to both classroom teachers and enrichment teachers, with the following specifications:
- All prep time blocks must be 45 minutes in length (except for make-up times)
- Educators should have a minimum of 45 minutes of prep time per week.
These times are a minimum requirement. Classes can be expanded to go beyond the minimums as long as this is done equitably as part of the shared decision-making process. Some reasons for additional enrichment might be:
- Extra room in the schedule
- A remedy for combination, oversized, or IEP-heavy classes
- Part of the upper-grade support plan
- Blocks specified within the schedule for makeups and/or flexibility.
All these considerations are combined into a cohesive schedule by the PTEAC. If the PTEAC has trouble scheduling the makeup time, the Area Superintendent will support with schedule suggestions or working with HR to increase the enrichment allocation. Schedules are complicated, but the solution cannot be inadequate prep time for classroom teachers, enrichment teachers, or other contractual violations.
How does prep time work at a K-8 school when elementary and secondary prep time is different?
At schools with both elementary and secondary teachers, the schedule created by the PTEAC needs to take into consideration the prep time rights of both elementary and middle school teachers. (See Section 8.7 for secondary prep time.) The PTEAC at K-8 schools might find these two resources helpful to schedule equitable and appropriate prep time for all teachers:
Do I get transition time?
Transition time is necessary between classes to allow for the enrichment teacher to break down or set up equipment and supplies and to transition one class leaving and another one coming. Gaps may also occur because of recess and lunch schedules. These gaps are not to be counted as a part of the prep time offered to classroom teachers by the enrichment teacher. Teaching enrichment with multiple classes a day with a minimum amount of space (sometimes at multiple sites) has unique requirements that do not match or align with regular elementary classroom teaching. The goal should not be to fill all schedule gaps just because they exist, but to try to maximize prep time block timing to the benefit of both classroom and enrichment teachers.
Transition time is guaranteed per section 1.2 in the sideletter, without a time specified. Common practice has been 5 minutes.
How do enrichment teachers handle scheduling complications such as holidays and parent-teacher conferences?
Enrichment is provided by a combination of site-based/assigned enrichment teachers and VAPA enrichment teachers. In some instances, and if properly credentialed, the site-based enrichment teacher may take on all or part of the VAPA allocation. Due to the complex scheduling and multi-site assignments of the VAPA teachers, they will most likely not be able to provide any makeups for missed blocks due to district-wide holidays or non-instructional days. For this reason, sites and site-based enrichment teachers should be assigned enough allocation to allow for “empty” blocks within the schedule. These blocks will allow for the scheduling of makeups for classroom teachers who will not receive their full 180 minutes within a two week period.
The main point is that there are 19 two-week blocks within our school year, which equals 3,420 minutes. Teachers should have at least this number of minutes by the end of the school year to follow the contractual 180 minutes every two weeks. During those holiday/short weeks, some of the 180 minutes might fall outside of the two week period and into those makeup blocks. If your site was NOT provided enough allocation to make this work, your Administrator should reach out to the Area Superintendent in order to provide solutions, which may include an increase in your allocation.
What are the requirements for each enrichment subject area?
Since enrichment programs vary so vastly across the district, there is no specific curriculum, set of outcomes, or protocol for each emphasis area. There is also not contractual language that dictates the content taught by enrichment teachers, other than the specification that their assignment is to provide instruction in the content area of their assignment. [Section 8.6.5.6.]
Some points to consider, from SDEA enrichment teachers:
- The subject matter taught by the Elementary enrichment teacher should enhance, enrich, or heighten interest in the students’ experience in that area and not stand in for or replace the role of the Classroom teacher in teaching that subject. This includes any emphasis area.
- The enrichment teacher should not be teaching the curriculum designed to be taught by the Classroom teacher, since it is not reasonable to expect the enrichment teacher to be able to cover all standards and adequately evaluate students to provide grades based on one session a week.
- Lessons and activities do not have to be grade-level specific, can be taught to multiple grade levels (e.g., K-2, 3-5; or K-1, 2-3, 4-5), and can focus on building skills, stamina, and/or interest in the subject.
Source: Collective Bargaining Agreement, July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025 & Sideletter on Implementation of Elementary enrichment & Preparation Time in the 2024 School Year (July 2, 2024)