LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Nearly 300 graduates of the Cal State Dominguez Hills College of Education are ready to take on the world of teaching.
The college celebrated their graduation this week as the grads officially received their teaching credentials.
"I'm just excited to get into the classroom," said Natalie Rodriguez, a first-generation college graduate from Downey.
She said it's always been her dream to become an educator thanks to a teacher she had when she was a kid.
"It made me just change my outlook in the world and know that I want to give back in some way," said Rodriguez.
That same purpose inspired graduate Zulema Pettway to teach special education at the Los Angeles Unified School District.
"We want to be the change that we want to see," she said.
For Maria Contreras, who was recently hired as a dual language teacher by LAUSD, it's about representation.
"I want to be able to be that influence for them," she said.
LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho delivered the keynote address at the ceremony, encouraging graduates to work for the district while acknowledging the difficult realities of the profession.
Many of those struggles were brought to the forefront this spring when unions representing LAUSD teachers and staff went on strike for several days, demanding more support and better pay.
"I think this year's contract negotiations and salary bump equivalent to 21% will go a long way in terms of recruiting and retaining the qualified teachers that we need," said Carvalho.
LAUSD's minimum starting annual salary for a teacher is $56,000, as of the 2022-2023 school year.
By July, that jumps to nearly $62,000, due to new union agreements. By 2025, it rises to nearly $69,000.
"That is just motivating for us to keep fighting and to keep going," said Rodriguez. "It's small accomplishment."
Rodriguez said for now, she's passing up jobs at LAUSD for a teaching job in Orange County.
"But you never know, I am open to LAUSD in the future."
EDITORIAL NOTE: An earlier version of this story said $56,000 was the average LAUSD teacher salary. The story has been corrected to say it is the minimum starting salary.
