While that Board did approve the continuation of facility renovation, etc. -- which uses funds that can ONLY be spent on capital projects and not on operational costs -- they also began making those unpopular, unhealthy budget reductions that were recommended by the BAC, cabinet, and myself. The reductions which amounted to $26.6 million included:
- A million dollars in management cuts
- Eliminating 6 management positions -- $632,391
- Reducing the management work year by 5 days (also commonly referred to as "furlough" days) -- $450,162
- Decentralization of the Central Registration Center back to individual school sites -- $237,294
- Elimination of Secondary Library Media Assistants in our middle and high schools -- $571,617
- Revising how we clean schools at night with what is hopefully a more efficient custodial cleaning model -- $527,650 (first year savings which could grow to $800,000+ in subsequent years)
- Further reductions in Tier III special programs that adds another $1,268,186 to almost $10 million in earlier cuts
- Utilizing $22,129,264 in funds that can be used only once ("one-time") and must be replaced again next year with additional cuts at that time
- Additionally, the Board considered and tabled (pending some clarification) $744,091 in elimination of transportation from home to school of secondary students.
What consideration is given to furlough days for the teachers? Other local districts have furloughed instructional days and I know I speak for many teachers when I say we would give up days to save others' jobs.
ReplyDeleteI second the comment above, but rather than cut instruction days... how about five days unpaid vacation (Spring Break).
ReplyDeleteI am in agreement with both comments. Hearing conversations in the lounge at lunch, had we been asked or given the option, many teachers would have temporarily given up moving a step in the pay scale to save our teachers so that our students would have the opportunity to learn in smaller class sizes.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that we (teachers) are begging for furlough days. No one has approached RCTA with furlough days, but it seems every comment is furlough, furlough, furlough. Why don't we wait and let the district spend their money and leave ours in place! If you support furloughs wouldn't the more appropriate place to voice your opinion as union member on the RCTA website?
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the custodial team cleaning with resulting reduction in force for 12 custodians and the reduction of the secondary Library Media Assistants, these were most definitely NOT recommendations from the BAC. These items were not discussed. These items were placed on Tuesday's Agenda at the very last minute on Tuesday afternoon. The powerpoint that was presented was not available for review until late in the day, where was the transparency? The classified unit was completely blindsided by District personnel.
ReplyDeleteHow many "Deputy and Assistant Deputy Superintendents" are required to run a school district? There must be at least 7...why not start there and stop looking at the teachers, Instructional Specialists and all the support staff. Seems to me that those making over 6-digits would save more than those making 4 or 5 digit paychecks and living hand to mouth. This district cannot operate without teachers, support staff, managers and specialists. They are the backbone of knowledge and now more are going to be released. Doesn't make sense.
ReplyDeleteI second the previous comment. Start the reductions at the top and work your way down. Everyone knows that the Library Media Assistants run the libraries. Will an assistant superintendent with a $130k+ yearly salary somehow come down from the district office to organize the distribution/collection/processing of tens of thousands of books at secondary sites? What about the BAC findings? These "underhanded" actions that catch people off-guard by high-ranking district personnel create distrust and animosity. How can the district expect support and cooperation regarding concessions from its employees when it "surprises" the public at board meertings? Remeber that trust and respect are earned, not entitled. The district must strive for tranparency to earn the trust of its employees and the community.
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing the slogan "It's about our kids," but it truly is not the case when 22 out of 38 teachers at one site are pink slipped! Not to mention that our school is up for a California Distinguished School. We don't feel distinguished..we feel devalued! When it is all is said and done every teacher in this district is a number! You can be teacher of the year..but if you are number 90...sorry! We rather keep teacher B who has been on an assistance plan for 5 years because she has 10 years with us! Or teacher C who doesn't even have a CLAD credential and has English Learners in her class! Is that even legal?
ReplyDeleteI can't even talk about the RUSD/Pink Slip situation without getting sick to my stomach. Intellectually I know that it's all based on seniority, but I cannot process the fact that I will be fired after receiving multiple awards for doing my job well. The Union is negligent and the Board is stubborn. The relationship between the Union and District Office/Board Administration in Riverside is unbelievably hostile and nonproductive. There are multiple options that would save jobs and have yet to be considered: furlough days, early retirement incentives, etc. During negotiations that would have prevented this, the District abused the process and added language at the last minute squelching the process that would have certainly saved a lot of jobs. The Union on the other hand, walked away from the table,filed suit, and refused to continue the negotiation process leaving many of us without jobs next year. Neither group is representing the best interests of the students or the teachers.
ReplyDeleteI second the thought...is it really ALL about our kids or is the district just looking at education as a business this year. True, these are tough times across the state, not just for education, but it is absolutely unacceptable to accept this as the status quo! It is our job as citizens to change this. I am terrified at the fact that my quiet four year old will be attending a kindergarten class with 29 other children who will probably be more vocal. I also find it unbelievable that I have 5 years of teaching experience and will probably find myself using the suggestion of "the Treasure Box" grocery assitance program next year because I also received a pink slip for the second year while teaching in Riverside. We will all do what we have to to survive, but it is absolutely ridiculous that so many of us are in this situation. Why isn't there a focus on still trying to save at least some class sizes AND teacher jobs this year instead of focusing on increasing revenue for the next school year? I would gladly pay a $25 flat tax to be voted on again each year if it would help either situation.
ReplyDeleteIn the article in the Press Enterprise last week it stated that the Superintendent and his staff were going to take furlough days. That is a start but let's take it one step further. The Superintendent's office has 5 Assistant Superintendents by eliminating 3 of them and their secretaries, with salary and benefits, it could save the district around $750,000 a year. As managers, specialists, secretaries, clerks and other classified employees and departments have taken the hardest cuts over the past 2 years, those who are left now have to do the job of two and sometimes three people. By eliminating the Assistant Superintendent's positions, we are not asking you to do anymore than what has been asked of us. In hard time, we do what we have to do.
ReplyDeleteReally??? 22 teachers out of 32 are RIF'd at Twain??? I was thinking of pulling my kids out of private school and sending them there next year but now I don't know. That's shocking! How does RUSD plan on getting out of PI when they are letting go of teachers who are actually making a difference. Why is this not a top story in our local papers???
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe that this district is willing to let go of amazing teachers that inspire greatness in our children. My child will be going into first grade next year. He is a great kid with a unique learning style. His kindergarten teacher at Twain is aware of his greatness and finds ways to challenge him! What will happen when he enters 1st grade and is lost in a 1:30 ratio with an overworked teacher? Our children are not the priority of this district! I will shout this statement as loud as I can to as many people as I can. RUSD DOES NOT MAKE OUR CHILDREN THEIR PRIORITY! It is all about the politics! Well, don't think for a second that I won't get angry enough to find a way to get my kids out of your district and take away your precious money! Until you start making your layoffs at the district level and not in the classroom I will not be a happy parent, tax payer and citizen of Riverside!
ReplyDeleteMark Twain we feel your pain! How does 12 teachers out of 22 sound? At Beatty 12 teachers received termination letters. Does that mean we get stuck with the people from the district office that were giving termination letters? Not that I wouldn't want them to work here, it's just that they left the classroom for a reason and the teachers here want to be here. Yeah, we might complain about the focus walls, data protocol, math testing, SCOE testing, yard duty, visitors on the regular and the number of students we have in each classroom, but we want to be here. Our teachers drive in from Orange County, Corona and even Perris to teach our students. WE WANT TO BE HERE!! DON'T replace us with people who just want a pay check! Has anyone looked into leaving the people at the District Office there, but drop them down to teacher salary? I'm sure that could save millions.
ReplyDeleteI have had the privilege and the pleasure of working with many of the teachers from Mark Twain and Patricia Beatty that have received pink slips, and let me tell you the loss of these teachers is a HUGE crime against the students of RUSD! These are DEDICATED teachers who go above and beyond to put their students FIRST.
ReplyDeleteAs I watch the power struggle between the Union and the District I feel like I am watching a bitter custody battle where the children are sacrificed for the sole idea of being able to say, “I won!” The Union and the District need to come together with one thought: doing what’s best for the children! Find a way to keep our teachers in the classroom so we can provide the quality education Riverside’s future rightly deserves.
SB USD has offered their teachers a wonderful retirement incentive this year. Maybe if RUSD would rethink and offer the same, we could keep these outstanding new teachers and let our older teachers retire. 80% is a lot for the next 5 years!
ReplyDeleteThis custodial crew sounds like a little savings the first year.Cutting custodians not a good ideal.The next year savings is only because they are going to cut more custodians.I don't know if you see what I see but the looks like we want to get rid of custodians and contract this work out in the future.The quality of work is not going to improve it is going to take away the pride custodians have at their site.VERY DUMB MOVE
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a bad idea, I remember the deep cleaning crew and now were are they? The custodians have pride in how their school looks, and if there is a group clean they will not give the special attendtion that is now. Also agree with the anonymous commet that this sounds like a way to start contracting out, bad idea.
ReplyDeleteWOW What a dumb idea! Cleaning crew, this group will have no ownership in the site so the job will not be done with great pride that our custodians have in their own site. Sounds like someone is thinking of contracting out if they plan on saving more each year that would mean more layoff until there will not be enough help to do a good job. Do you think someone out there is opening up a cleaning service keep your eyes open.
ReplyDeleteWe’ve been told the reason we study history is to learn from our mistakes and not repeat them over and over again. Team cleaning in one form or another has been tried and proven ineffective. Gardening crews have been formed and we all have what the results have been at best mediocre! Not that gardeners are slackers but in fact most are hard workers, but the lack of staffing and time allotment have proven very challenging to achieve acceptable results.
ReplyDeleteNext Carpet Crew’s have been formed. The results to say mediocre at best would be a far stretch from the truth. Again it is not from lack of effort from the crew, but from lack of personnel and time to do a proper job. Now forming custodial crews will have the same results as the above crews. As history has proven in the past, there are poor and unacceptable outcomes!
To learn the truth, one just has to take a stroll down to ground zero and talk to school staff about the effectiveness of these crews, not simply relying on charts doctored and filled with fictitious results. Anyone would have to be delusional to think this crew will succeed where other crews as history has shown have failed. Without given the man power and time, the outcome will be mediocre at best!
Let’s show that we have learned from our own history lessons and not keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again!
All the talk of budget cuts no discussion about cuts to ESL programs. Has this issue been addressed? Are english language learning programs bringing in additional funding from the state or federal level? Either way it must be considered as well. How much money could be saved if these programs were cut or eliminated as well.
ReplyDelete