About this episode
The episode discusses the impact of rising healthcare premiums on California teachers and school districts amid ongoing labor negotiations.
Healthcare premiums have become one of the most contentious issues in labor negotiations for California teachers unions this year. Teachers say escalating costs are swallowing their raises, while district leaders say schools can’t shoulder the cost without having to cut elsewhere, especially as they grapple with declining enrollment, expiring federal aid and rising pension costs. Guests: Michelle Bird, teacher, Twin Rivers Unified School District Diana Lambert, senior reporter, EdSource Read more from EdSource: Soaring healthcare costs put California school districts and teachers at odds Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource’s Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald. Subscribe: Apple, Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube
People in this episode
Host: Zaidee Stavely
Guests: Michelle Bird, Diana Lambert
Topics covered
- healthcare costs
- teacher unions
- labor negotiations
- school funding
- California education
Keywords
- health insurance
- teachers
- California
- labor negotiations
- school districts
- healthcare premiums
- education
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Twin Rivers Unified School District, EdSource, Education Beat
Places: California
More episodes of Education Beat
- What a California State University’s new polytechnic status means for its future · June 11, 2026
- Hot classrooms, leaky roofs — one student’s fight for better school facilities (Rebroadcast) · May 28, 2026
- How a father’s detention shaped his son’s educational career · May 21, 2026
- How Los Angeles Unified fire academies build leadership skills for any career · May 14, 2026
- California high school student journalists face censorship, investigations · May 7, 2026
- College students repackage dining hall food waste to feed hungry peers · April 30, 2026
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Education Beat podcast page.