The High Cost of Living and Its Toll on Teachers at Fremont’s Prestigious Deaf Schools

By: John Glover (MBA)

FREMONT, CA — California School for the Deaf, Fremont (CSDF), lauded as one of the nation’s best educational institutions for Deaf students, faces a crisis that threatens its very foundation. Despite its reputation, the school’s teachers and staff are grappling with severe financial hardships exacerbated by the exorbitant cost of living in Silicon Valley. This situation is creating a volatile environment for both educators and students, with potentially devastating consequences for the future of Deaf education in California.

The Financial Squeeze

Rachel Zemach, a Deaf educator and author of “THE BUTTERFLY CAGE,” offers a stark perspective on the financial realities for teachers at CSDF. “Affordable housing is the biggest challenge by far,” she notes. While the school’s prestige is undisputed—recognized by US News and World Report in 2022 as one of the best schools in the nation—salaries have not kept pace with the soaring cost of living. Housing costs in the region have increased by 23% over the past decade, but CSDF staff salaries remain significantly lower than those of other local schools.

The statistics are alarming. Since 2017, CSDF has lost 272 staff members, primarily to other schools. Among the seven new teachers hired this year, four are already contemplating leaving before the school year even starts. A staggering 90% of CSDF staff live paycheck to paycheck, with many forced to live with parents or roommates, or endure long commutes from distant areas.

Zemach points out the disparity in pay: “District teachers just minutes away from CSDF earn far more than the highly trained staff.” This inequity is particularly galling given the specialized education CSDF provides—education that public schools often fail to deliver, leaving many Deaf students without the support they need to thrive.

Impact on Retention and Morale

The high cost of living in Fremont is not just a financial burden; it is a significant factor in the declining morale and retention rates among teachers. For many, the choice boils down to staying at a revered institution versus surviving financially. Zemach describes the dilemma poignantly: “For the teachers, there is a constant need to weigh opposing factors; membership in a rare, thriving, Deaf-friendly and world-renowned institution, versus surviving financially.”

The impact on students is equally profound. The departure of beloved teachers and staff members disrupts their education and social stability. “Morale is equally low, as students see many of their favorite staff and friends leaving the school for places they can better afford to live,” Zemach explains.

This instability extends beyond the individual experiences of teachers and students. The broader Deaf community faces significant challenges, including language deprivation—a detrimental condition resulting from insufficient language input at an early age. Zemach’s firsthand experience in both public and Deaf school settings highlights the stark differences in educational outcomes. In mainstream schools, Deaf students often face numerous obstacles, from limited exposure to sign language to inadequate training among staff, leading to subpar educational experiences.

Legislative Setback

The recent defeat of SB 1316, a bill aimed at raising CSDF staff salaries to a living wage, has further demoralized the community. Zemach describes the bill’s defeat as “profoundly demoralizing.” The bill would have aligned CSDF salaries with those of public school staff in surrounding communities, providing much-needed financial relief. “Teachers, Deaf or hearing, must be able to afford to live near their work and thrive personally,” Zemach asserts.

The consequences of this legislative setback are far-reaching. Lower salaries and financial strain threaten the very existence of CSDF, which plays a critical role in the Deaf community. The potential closure of the school would be an “indescribably big loss,” reducing the number of well-educated, confident Deaf individuals in the community.

As Zemach concludes, “Deaf schools are the hub of our community, and play such a critical role in kids’ education that if you were to meet a group of Deaf kids from mixed environments, you could probably identify which are from CSDF. You’d be able to tell this from their language skills, confidence, critical thinking skills, assertiveness, and sense of accountability.”

The stakes could not be higher. It is time for decisive action to ensure that CSDF and its dedicated staff can continue to provide the exceptional education that Deaf students deserve.

Bio:

Rachel Zemach is a Deaf teacher, writer, and passionate activist on behalf of Deaf and hard of hearing children and adults. She taught Deaf students for over a decade— first in a public school and then in the dramatically different setting of a renowned school for the Deaf. What she experienced personally, and learned about the educational system and its impact on her students, stunned her and informed her work.