Re-posted from REALTeachers

On Thursday March 3, the district presented and passed a “worst-case scenario” budget. It is a devastating budget, and the cuts are enormous. Here are some of the major points from it:

• Class-sizes increases
  • 29 to 1 in primary grades
  • 34 to 1 in intermediate elementary
  • 36 to 1 in middle school
  • 40 to 1 in high school
• Reduction of counselors (14.6)
• Elimination of Adult Education

This will lead to 355.6 RIFs or layoffs of certificated staff (this includes the counselor figure above).

In addition to layoffs the following was approved, and will require negotiation:

• A 5% cut in salaries
• Continuing to pay $950 a year which was originally agreed to cover CSR (which will be eliminated)

The following categories of teachers will be “skipped” or shielded from impending lay-offs under the “worst case scenario:

• Credentialed BCLAD (to the extent necessary to fill any necessary BCLAD positions);
• Fully-credentialed Special Ed;
• Math teachers who can teach the full breadth of high school math up to calculus;
• Teachers with Waldorf formal training/coursework;
• Teachers with one year or more teaching in a dual-language immersion program;
• Individuals with two or more years of experience teaching in a home or hospital setting
• Individuals with specialized training or experience in the Accelerated Academy program;
• All individuals serving in a Priority School assignment who will also be in that assignment in 2011-2012.

*For the purposes of the above-referenced criteria, “fully credentialed” is defined to mean “an employee who possess a preliminary, clear or internship credential.”

REALTeachers was at this board meeting and spoke about the devastating impact these cuts would have on the teachers and students in the classroom.

Why is this happening? For the last two years, shortfalls have been made up by stimulus funds from the federal government (ARRA). Given the changes in leadership in Washington, that will not be happening this year. The Governor has proposed a budget that leaves K-12 spending largely untouched from last year. It has not yet been approved, and is dependent on getting a measure on the June ballot to extend earlier tax increases that are already in effect, and that measure passing by a majority vote. The district does not know if those two things will happen. They are required to give notice by March 15th about layoffs for the next school year, and to submit a “balanced” budget to the county office of education. This means that they have to plan for the taxes not being extended and further budget cuts.

CTA is requesting that members send letters to their legislators urging them to support the Governor’s budget plan. You can find further information here: http://www.capwiz.com/nea/ca/issues/alert/?alertid=31012506