A new California law just helped a local school board nearly quadruple its own salary, as teachers and taxpayers looked on.
Story Overview
- Modesto city school administrators voted to increase their monthly salary from $765 to as much as $3,000 possible, using a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
- Assembly Bill 1390 increased the legal salary caps for school boards fivefold, based on district size, and Modesto quickly moved to the new maximum.
- Teachers, school staff and residents called the move a “questionable priority” amid tight budgets and concerns about layoffs.
- The Modesto decision is part of a growing trend of California boards voting on big increases themselves under AB 1390, fueling taxpayer fury.
How Newsom’s Law Opened the Door to Massive Board Pay Raises
Assembly Bill 1390, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2025, significantly increased the legal salary cap for California school board members. The law increased the maximum monthly compensation up to five times the old limits, with the exact cap based on a district’s average daily attendance. For districts the size of Modesto City Schools, with enrollment between 25,001 and 60,000, the maximum allowed increased from $750 per month to **$3,000 per month**. Supporters said the change “modernized” pay levels for the first time since the 1980s and was necessary to reflect inflation and directors’ increased responsibilities. The legal summaries emphasize that boards can still choose lower amounts and that any increases must be approved at public meetings, not behind closed doors.
Once AB 1390 took effect, boards that wanted more cash had a clear path: vote in open session to increase their allocations up to the new cap. Legal analyzes pointed out that existing law already tied salaries to district size, but AB 1390 significantly multiplied those limits and kept annual percentage increases in place. This prompted many administrators to seek higher salaries while continuing to pretend that they were simply staying within the bounds of what the state now allowed. Critics warned early that the bill would result in “significant raises for school board members” at a time when many districts were facing budget pressures and asking taxpayers for more money. That prediction is now coming true in Modesto and other communities, raising serious questions about priorities, local control and respect for the public’s hard-earned dollars.
What the Modesto board voted for — and why locals are angry
The Modesto City Schools Board of Trustees voted this summer to increase member pay from the current stipend of **$765 per month** up to **$3,000 per month**, the maximum allowed under AB 1390 for a district of its size. Reports show the plan starts administrators at $1,500 per month and then phases in the full $3,000 by the 2027-2028 school year. That means the final increase is nearly four times the old salary level, a jump of about 293 percent, from $765 to $3,000. Even though the law legalizes this increase, community reaction has been intense. Teachers, school staff and residents packed the town hall meeting and expressed outrage, with one local education leader saying, “Just because you can raise something to the maximum doesn’t mean you should.” » A taxpayer advocate with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association called the move a “questionable priority” at a time when “school district budgets are under pressure.”
Local and national media called the increase “insane” and “nearly 300 percent,” reflecting the shock many felt when they realized board members themselves had voted for such a significant pay increase. Critics have pointed out that the district faces concerns about budget shortfalls and possible teacher layoffs, making the timing of a huge raise seem tone-deaf and self-serving. One resident argued that a “nearly three-fold increase approved in one fell swoop” does not align with the values the community expects from its leaders, especially when families are already struggling with high taxes and cost of living. While supporters of AB 1390 say higher pay can help attract more diverse candidates and retain experienced directors, Modesto’s board has not produced clear public evidence of new duties or schedules that would account for such a large increase. This lack of transparency fuels the feeling that political insiders put themselves first while ordinary citizens tighten their belts.
A growing trend of large increases and growing taxpayer concern
Modesto is not alone. In California, other school boards quickly adopted the new AB 1390 caps, often sparking the same kind of anger. In San Diego-area districts, administrators reportedly raised their own salaries by 300 to 400 percent, with workers “furious” over increases of up to $3,000 a month while budgets were strained. In Elk Grove, board members voted to raise their salaries from a high of $750 to $3,000 a month at the same time they approved layoffs, a combination that struck many parents and teachers as deeply unfair. Fresno Unified administrators also used AB 1390 to double their salaries, with the law allowing them to increase up to $7,500 per month based on enrollment. Together, these cases show a clear pattern: Once Sacramento opened the door, many local boards chose to go straight to the max.
A Northern California high school is refusing to quietly abandon nearly a century of tradition after a state law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom forced California schools to abandon Native American-themed mascots. Marysville High School, a Yuba County staple for…
– Common sense with Chadian law (@chadparkerlaw) July 8, 2026
For conservative readers, the lesson is simple and familiar. When state lawmakers like Gavin Newsom increase wages and government power, local officials rarely choose restraint. They follow the money. AB 1390 may have been sold as a way to “modernize” school governance, but in practice it has become a tool for rapid pay raises while parents worry about basic things like classroom safety, reading scores, and protecting traditional values. The Modesto case highlights why it is important to tighten local oversight. Public meetings, clear accounting of board rationales, and honest budget reporting are essential if citizens are to end self-serving transactions and realign priorities toward teachers, students, and families. In the meantime, taxpayers in places like Modesto will continue to wonder why government workers deserve bigger checks when the people they serve are already strained.
Sources:
nypost.com, aedn.assembly.ca.gov, content.acsa.org, gvwire.com, californiacountynews.org, calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org, lcwlegal.com, sacbee.com
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