Shirley Jahad/KPCC

Students from Capistrano Unified protest in support of their teachers

Teachers in the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) are on strike today after reaching an impasse with the school board over a 10% salary cut. The district says the pay cuts are necessary to help close a $54 million budget shortfall caused by a drop in state funding and will save $19.9 million. The teachers union says they’ll agree to the pay cut so long as it expires by June 30th of next year, but that they’ll stay out of the classroom until that condition is met. All 56 schools in Orange County's second-largest school district remained open today, staffed by substitute teachers, but many students stayed home and the school day was shortened. Patt checks in for an update before the union and district meet at 2:00 pm today.

Guest:

Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, KPCC’s education reporter