Newsom’s Law Opens Door to Huge Local Pay Hikes

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California’s new pay law just helped one local school board nearly quadruple its own checks while teachers face tight budgets and families watch in disbelief.

Story Snapshot

Modesto City Schools board used a Newsom-backed law to hike member pay from $765 to as much as $3,000 a month.
Assembly Bill 1390 raised legal pay caps for school boards by up to five times, based on district size.
Parents, teachers, and taxpayer advocates say the board put its own wallet ahead of classrooms and staff.
Similar big raises in San Diego, Elk Grove, and Fresno show a growing pattern of local officials cashing in.

Newsom’s Law Opens the Door to Huge Local Pay Hikes

Assembly Bill 1390, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2025, massively raised how much school board members across California can legally pay themselves each month. The law boosted caps by up to five times, with exact limits tied to a district’s average daily attendance. For districts with 25,001 to 60,000 students, like Modesto City Schools, the new ceiling jumped from $750 to $3,000 per month. Supporters claimed this would “modernize” pay and help boards keep and attract members.

The law does not force any board to take the maximum amount, but it clearly invites them to consider it. Assemblymember José Luis Solache said older pay limits failed to keep up with inflation and growing board duties, arguing higher stipends make service “accessible” for more people. The California School Boards Association backed the bill, saying better pay supports “democratic representation” and helps retain experienced trustees. Critics warned at the time that, once passed, many boards would jump straight to the top of the new pay scale.

Modesto Board Moves From Stipend to Near-Quadruple Payday

On a June 2026 Tuesday night, the Modesto City Schools Board of Education voted to boost its own monthly compensation from $765 to $1,500 starting next school year, with a plan to rise to $3,000 in 2027–2028. Local reports describe this as a “nearly 300%” increase, though the full jump from $765 to $3,000 is closer to 293 percent. Based on Modesto’s enrollment, Assembly Bill 1390 sets the legal maximum at $3,000 per month, and the board chose to go all the way to that cap.

The board framed the move as lawful and aligned with the new state rules, stressing that Assembly Bill 1390 authorizes higher compensation for districts of Modesto’s size. However, no detailed public records in the available research clearly show what specific new duties, hours, or risks the board cited to justify that much more pay. There is also no budget analysis in the research proving the district has extra financial room to cover these raises without affecting staff or programs. That gap in hard data is a major reason why local reaction turned so fierce.

Teachers and Taxpayers Blast “Max Because We Can” Logic

During the public meeting, teachers, school employees, and residents lined up to oppose the raise, saying the board was out of touch with classroom needs and family concerns. A representative from the Modesto Teachers Association put it bluntly: “Just because you can raise something to the max, doesn’t mean you should.” That simple statement cuts to the heart of the issue for many conservatives and taxpayers: legal permission is not the same as moral or fiscal wisdom, especially when budgets are tight.

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, a longtime watchdog group, also weighed in, calling the move a “questionable priority” when school district budgets across California are under pressure. Commenters in media coverage and online videos connected the Modesto raise to worries about deficits, potential layoffs, and strained resources. One resident quoted in coverage said the nearly threefold increase “reflects the priorities and values” of local leaders, suggesting the board chose self-pay over better support for teachers and students. That kind of criticism strikes directly at public trust.

Part of a Wider Pattern of Boards Cashing In

Modesto is not alone. Within months of Assembly Bill 1390’s enactment, several other California districts quickly adopted the new maximum pay levels, triggering similar outrage. In the Fresno Unified School District, trustees voted to double their salaries under the same law, with a top pay that could reach $7,500 a month in large districts. In Elk Grove, the board approved raises from $750 to $3,000 while also moving ahead with layoffs, a pairing that sparked intense local anger.

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In the San Diego area, trustees in multiple districts approved pay increases up to 300–400 percent as workers and parents fumed. A widely shared YouTube video blasted these raises as an “outrageous cash grab” made possible by Assembly Bill 1390, pointing out that some boards acted “amid teacher layoffs” and budget shortfalls. Taken together, these cases show a clear pattern: once Sacramento raised the caps, many local boards rushed to the top, regardless of how their communities felt or how their budgets looked.

What It Means for Local Control and Conservative Priorities

This fight matters beyond one school district. It highlights how a state-level decision by Governor Newsom and the Legislature can quickly ripple down into local bodies, changing incentives and tempting officials to reward themselves first. School board seats are supposed to be about service, stewardship, and guarding children’s education. When members use a new law to nearly quadruple their own pay while teachers battle for modest raises and families face high costs, many conservatives see it as another sign of government serving itself.

For Trump supporters and constitutional conservatives, the Modesto case raises key questions about accountability and local control. Should state law make it easier for officials to raise their own pay without strict guardrails? Should boards be required to show clear proof of expanded work and solid budgets before touching maximum pay? Right now, the available records show legal compliance with Assembly Bill 1390, but they do not show strong evidence that these large raises put students, teachers, and taxpayers first. That gap is where citizens can press for change.