Orange County School of the (Underfunded) Arts

OCSA’s passion for the arts, both by students and teachers, is unrivaled. However, amid our school’s constant quest for a creative renaissance, conservatory teachers are often overlooked. 

Passion for the subjects they teach and belief in their students are often cited as the reasons conservatory teachers continue to work for OCSA when they are paid hourly, without insurance and overall employee benefits. 

Conservatory teachers are limited to working 29.75 hours a week. Several, including many who teach more than two classes, stated that their dedication to OCSA often surpasses the maximum hours part time teachers are allowed to work. 

The time restraints of the conservatory schedule cause a payment discrepancy between academic and conservatory teachers; they are not paid by the Federal and State taxes that provide salaries and benefits for academic teachers.  

OCSA is not entirely responsible for the payment discrepancy. Conservatory teachers are paid for through parent donation, and fundraising events (like the Gala) serve to fill the gap between what is raised by parents and the estimated $30 million per year required to keep the school running.

OCSA’s original vision was to provide students with as many teachers as possible to provide a diverse arts education. 

“In order to supply students with a well-rounded arts experience, OCSA relies on the “part-time employment of teachers,” said Assistant Principal of the Arts, Dr. Maria Lazarova. 

Comparatively, at a “traditional school,” there is a single teacher of the arts who is “usually also an English teacher,” said Lazarova. 

As OCSA employs hundreds of highly specialized teachers, the “traditional” school model of teacher payment would not be sustainable. 

“[With lack of funding] what does happen is we can't go on that trip; we can't put that show together,” said Lazarova, “[In] the place where we have a significant [funding] drop unfortunately…that's where the vast majority of money goes to pay for those teachers. We have not had to make cuts on days of conservatory which would be not good.” 

However, as OCSA evolved, many conservatory teachers have taken on multiple roles, including but not limited to teaching cross conservatory, academic classes, elective classes, working in special services and administrative roles. 

Though the role of conservatory teachers has grown over the years, the conditions of their employment–benefits and hours– have remained stagnant. 

As a result, several conservatory teachers in recent years have left their positions at the school for full-time employment elsewhere, especially for health insurance purposes. 

“I understand why some of my conservatory teachers have to leave…but it feels very bittersweet when my teachers who have taught me so much…who love what they do, can’t support themselves and their families while teaching at the school,” said Julie Lim (IA, ‘23). 

 The majority of conservatory teachers who continue to work at OCSA are only able to do so by working multiple jobs. Many see their work at OCSA as a passion project rather than sustainable employment. 

It has been expressed that these conservatory teachers hope for change in the budget but fear negotiations, partly because, without a teacher’s union of their own, they lack a representative. Teachers interviewed referenced the replaceable nature of working part-time as an obstacle for engaging in negotiations regarding their pay. 

One anonymous teacher stated, “[Conservatory teachers] feel like we are oftentimes not valued, not as important teachers. [All we want is] equal treatment, equal pay and equal benefits. But we’re afraid of being let go.”

The school’s landscape is rapidly changing, in part due to a new state-wide CTE (Career Technical Education) requirement. California legislation passed in September 2022 mandated that all teachers at charter schools must earn their teaching credentials by 2027 to continue teaching at California schools. OCSA graciously pays for the required courses for elective and conservatory teachers.  

With the recent induction of CTE state laws and the lottery acceptance program, OCSA's culture has continued to change towards more inclusive arts-based education. 

Recalibrating OCSA’s original mission to better serve students and teachers alike will help the school fulfill its vision for well-rounded education and a positive working environment for skilled professionals.