- Reduce 4.0 counseling positions
- Redesign High School Staffing for administration which includes:
- a reduction of work days for all High School Assistant Principals
- replacement of 1 Assistant Principal position at each campus with a classified position that would handle many of the former duties of the Assistant Principal
- Take additional "Tier III" reductions which involves state "categorical" money
- Staff Hyatt and Bryant Elementary Schools at levels commensurate with other schools which will cause more combination classrooms and a reduction in administrative and clerical services including the sharing of a principal. Further discussion will take place as to what the future (2011-12 and beyond) should be to meet the needs of the schools and District.
- Reductions were taken in department budgets of district-wide operations
NO one is happy with any of these choices, but given the budget (based on State funding) and the circumstances of the day, there is little choice. Based on the economy, we must do as is being done in private industry, we must redesign and reinvent ourselves. The trick is how do we make it better with less investment.
There is still no talk about furloughs to save jobs. Ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteEliminate 4 high school counselor jobs - Staff recommends...Board approves
ReplyDeleteReplace high school Assistant Principals with a classified position that would handle the duties of the former Assistant Principals - Staff recommends...Board approves
Additional "Tier III" reductions to student intervention and teacher development programs - Staff recommends...Board approves
But...Try to reduce athletics by 15% - Tabled for more discussion...REALLY? Where are RUSD's priorities?
Interesting, that the only thing NOT approved was the cut to athletics.
ReplyDeleteMoney, Money, Money, Money, Money! What about the kids, kids, kids, kids, kids, kids!
ReplyDeleteI agree. Why is the first thing to go our teachers? Who's going to be left to teach our children? Are WE (District and Union) thinking about them?
ReplyDeleteAs a pink slipped teacher even I can understand the benefit of athletics to the lives of many of our students. But a conservative cut of 15% of the athletic budget seems a small price when 50% of my household budget will be cut when I and 246 other teachers are laid off. It was so painful to hear Mike Fine say that future cuts will be even more difficult AFTER the board had just voted to pink slip 160 teachers. It seems that it pains the district more to cut things like music and athletics than to cut people's livelihoods. SAD
ReplyDeleteHere is a question to the RUSD school board and anyone else for that matter:
ReplyDeleteWhat difference does it make who wins the Super Bowl or the NBA Finals if a giant asteroid is about to strike Planet Earth in a few months? Would you even play the game in that situation, or would you maybe attend to other matters?
But seriously, I find it interesting that athletics are so important that a measly 15% cut had to be tabled for discussion, while RUSD has already axed 200+ teachers, counselors, administrators, library assistants, head custodians, etc., etc. I gives me great confidence to know that the RUSD school board has got its priorities straight, so at least we can all be assured of high school football games to get us through these tough times.
Cuts in athletics and number of assistant superintendents needs to happen to close the budget gap. Teacher furloughs need to happen to save teachers' jobs. By definition, the mission of a school district is to educate children - we need to keep educators teaching children and make cuts where their education is not directly affected.
ReplyDeleteIS THERE TALKS ABOUT A GOLDEN HANDSHAKE?
ReplyDeleteTHAT WILL SAVE JOBS....TIME IS TICKING..RUSD BOARD AND MARK..GET IT DONE!
We need to look at stipens for managers cell phones and car allowence.We can save over $300.000 a year.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the board should consider rescinding the 9% pay increase given to the Cabinet during the 08-09 school year. Additionally, has there been consideration given to the reduction of a management work day from 8 hours to 7.5? Certificated employees are paid to do their work in 7.5 hours per day. Shouldn't that be true of management as well?
ReplyDelete15% cut to athletics? 50% of regular ed teachers at my school have been pink slipped. The classroom needs to be a priority over supplemental programs. What cuts are being made at the district office?
ReplyDeleteThank You to the person who put the asteroid comment. It really drove the point home nicely:)
ReplyDeleteTo comment on a comment to an earlier blog post regarding people being mad at the district instead of the government, this situation is the exact reason why people are mad at the district. They will cut teachers without batting an eye, but they have to think about cutting a portion of athletics. Like said above, what message does that send? The teachers and classified employees have been made to feel expendable.
I second the plea for early retirement incentives... many other districts have implemented this job saving course of action... why not RUSD?
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation, " Let's make sure we start using all the worst case scenario tactics, they will beg for furloughs and Golden Handshakes, and we will deliver what they want."
ReplyDeleteMy wife is pinked slipped, but I teach in another district. Our district offered 1)115% final year salary bonus to retire with certain qualifications paid into a annuity, or 2) they offered 2 years service credit, or 3) if you did not qualify for either of those, you could take half of your salary for wo years up to 30K max to resign/retire early. (this is being used by some teachers that may have young children at home or others that may be getting laid off. RUSD board, Dr. Miller and Mr. Lawerence, YOU need to get something out there to allow these veteran teacher to retire to save jobs/money that is used for newer teachers. Get this done and save jobs and thank some dedicated teachers that have put a lot sweat, time, effort into educating our students. I also have two children in this district.
ReplyDeleteThanks, John
It is truly unfortunate that employees are made to feel like a moving target. We are all a liability, no faces, just numbers on a sheet of paper with $$ attached. The Business Office needs to burn additional "midnight" oil to "uncover" the funds that will continue to provide sound education to our students, with NO loss of positions. Explain about the unused reserves that can be tapped into, explain about the interest that accumulates on all the savings accounts the district has money invested, the millions of dollars create hundreds of thousands in interest income. Draconian changes at the top level of the District will keep our teachers and classified staff on the front lines. By the School Boards approval, it appears that a classified person can be just as capable as a Assistant Principal in the position of Dean of Students, here is a thought, hire additional classified staff at the District Level, to replace select Cabinet members.
ReplyDelete...Another thought-eliminate district assessments and reduce instructional services by 50%. My guess is that student achievement would not suffer, and perhaps, under the direction of professional teachers making professional decisions, even improve. Why not try?
ReplyDeleteI think the key here is to think of long-term impacts and solutions. Putting band aids on the situation will not fix this problem.
ReplyDeleteI am appreciative of the fact that there is an extremely critical situation here. I also realize that as one of the largest employers in Riverside, with the majority of the employees living in Riverside, this could be devastating to our community. We are fighting budget shortfalls and loss of students, a fact that further strains our revenue.
I think we need to talk about salary rollbacks, what were we thinking? It was clar to us then that there were going to be budget issues, and the increase in salary for cabinet members was, in the very least, poor taste and bad timing.
Shame on us, as a good friend of mine once said,"If my neighbor's not ok, I'm not ok"
I am reminded of some of the big auto makers shipping off auto production to other countries, laying off their workers and then not being able to understand why there was no one left to buy their cars.
Ok so management has taken a hit for furlough days...Certificated and Classified furlough days have to be approved to each union...what is the status on that. Decreacing work years and hours in each day to save jobs would be great, but again the union has to be invloved in those decisions. So where do the unions stand on these issues. We need to turn off some lights, put on some sweaters and mow the lawns a little less! Stop taking away the teachers and staff in our schools. The quality of educations is already poor. What nest? Let the students teach themselves???
ReplyDeleteOk, Mr. Fine, Superintendent, and School Board why didn't we plan for this? Haven't we known of the economic uncertainty of school funding based upon dwindling revenues from property taxes and state and federal funding for two or three years? If we were truly good stewards of public funds we should have went to the voters on a temporary tax measures a long time ago. If we good stewards we would have planned ahead of time to build up our reserves in order to sustain our teachers and class room sizes.
ReplyDeleteAs a parent, taxpayer and voter, I am very concerned at the decision making going on at the district level. You are all experienced administrators. I expect more thoughtful and proactive planning from you. Particularly since you went through this scare last year.
As for my elected school board officials you should have demanded more analysis and options on funding scenerios from your executive staff a long time ago. Shame on you!
Dr. Miller has inherited his executive staff. Please use this terrible example of dracionian budgeting, as a lesson on not to govern and put our kids educational future at risk! Demand that staff provide you with a long term sustainable solution for funding our kids education.
Please tell me:
ReplyDelete1. What is budgeted for district assessments?
2. What is the union's stand on furlough days?
3. Why does the union need to get in the way of what the district might want to offer, in terms of a golden handshake? Teachers actually could decide if the offer was a good one for themselves.
Asking Mr. Fine, the school board, etc. on why they didn't plan this better is unrealistic. The better question is why didn't the state of California legislators plan this better. Every time I pick up a newspaper there is another district laying off employees; installing furlough days, etc. I guess their administrators didn't do a very good job either??
ReplyDeleteI think we take great pleasure in blaming the board and our administrators for something that clearly is not something anyone saw coming in this magnitude. The district can only budget around what the state dictates....which clearly changes from week to week. It doesn't get better, it only gets worse.
Instead of everyone complaining, why don't the administrators and the unions get together and find a common ground where the less people lose their jobs the better. I'm curious.....are any of the people that sit on the RCTA and CSEA unions in jeopardy of losing their jobs?
Let's start talking and get this done!
"The trick is how do we make it better with less investment"
ReplyDeleteThat is actually the most truthful comment I've read from Rick Miller.
Investment is defined as: The commitment of something other than money (time, energy or effort) to a project with the expectation of some worthwhile result.
It certainly looks like "less investment" is the key here.
The power to change the situation rests in the hands of the people who have the least to lose. The mid career teachers jobs are safe. The decision makers at the district and union levels jobs are safe. The new teachers who have been given pink slips or are in jeopardy ar afraid to stand up for themselves because they may jeopardize career relationships. Courage and Leadership needs to come from those who have no risk of job loss and represent the largest numbers of teachers and classified staff. These are the folks who would indeed feel the sting of furlough days and salary roll backs and who by doing nothing are at no risk of losing their own jobs.
ReplyDelete1. I like the idea posted on 2-5-10 on the Budget Advisory Blog (scroll down when you get to that site) of changing the school calendar by adding 45 - 60 minutes to the school day and cutting the number of days (instruction time would remain the same)...put it at the top of the list...this makes more sense in saving utilities (a/c during the hottest months), custodial (which are being cut anyway), transportation (which was suggested to be cut, but only for High School...this plan would cut transportation costs across the board), cafeteria, and staff costs. I think the district needs to think out-of-the-box and consider such a great plan, or variation thereof. It would save jobs and MONEY, and would provide time for preventative maintenance.
ReplyDelete2. Why cut high school counselors? Makes no sense! The middle school only deals with two grade levels and does not deal with the graduation requirements and all of the other multitude that a high school counselor deals with...the middle school counselor job is less than half of what a high school counselor's job is. Get real! Increase the middle school counselor's student ratio, not the high school counselor's student ratio. Let's at least consider the plan posted on 2-5-10 and with the savings, keep the high school counselors. We want to encourage our students to go to college, right? You need highly trained, highly educated professionals (counselors) to do this job at the high school. (This writer is not a counselor.)
3. I think that it is an insult to education to place a classified person (without an education) in an A.P.'s chair and give him/her the title of "Dean of Students"! The term "Dean of Students" is a term most often employed in colleges and universities by those who are highly educated, who counsel students. This is ridiculous and a slap in the face to those who have earned the education and work in an educational environment. It says that we don't value education. Why not instead, go back to the plan posted on 2-5-10 which would cut AP's days to a realistic number and with the savings, keep a 3rd AP for discipline at the high school. There are many complicated situations on a high school campus...you need the right person. (This writer is not an AP.)
4. Why not freeze the administrator's longevity raises they receive every 3 years...let's face it, none of us are getting any raises for COLA, and teachers must wait 14 years then another 6 years for a longevity raise...administrators should follow suit in these difficult times.
I agree with what the person wrote about high school counselors. 500:1 is NOT realistic. (I am not a high school counselor). They have a tremendous amount of work already and to add more would not benefit the high school students of RUSD.
ReplyDeleteI, too, like the idea of adding minutes to the instructional day. This makes sense if you are looking to save costs on utilities, transportation, and food.
The writer above has really great ideas.
Surely the Board has given the directive to pink slip all managers. There are many ways to save a considerable amount of money that will not be available to the Board after 3/15 without the proper notification.
ReplyDelete-First, change the paid workday for managers from 8 hours to 7.5-like that of teachers.
-Adjust the length of work years to reflect the change in the instructional program. With little or no summer school, shouldn't the school managers-principals included, have a shorter work year?
-Fringe benefits? Why $50,000 paid life insurance when teachers receive $10,000? Who pays for that?
-Sick leave? Why fifteen days a year for managers when teachers receive ten? Isn't that a future liability to the district?
-Besides reducing instructional services and eliminating testing, do we really need to have a Director of Special Projects and Program Improvement? I think there might be more than one position to consolidate.
-And, how can the Cabinet keep that 9% pay raise they received last year while teachers are being laid off? That is wrong.
-These are changes that are potentially substantial. And there are others. Shouldn't the Board have the option to consider these and not be limited due to a lack of notice by 3/15?
It would be helpful to have input on exactly which instructional service is not needed, because it does not generally correlate to testing. The workday of a specialist is more in the neighborhood of 10 to 12 hours plus weekends, and their work year (and salary) was cut 10%. Much work of the work is far more costly when contracted through outside providers. Finally, and this is just food for thought, the millions of dollars that flow into our schools through grants (think EETT, APIP, TAH, and CAMSP, just to name a few) is the result of the work of the few specialists that remain.
ReplyDeleteDr. Miller: You have placed student achievement at the forefront of your agenda in your time here at RUSD. You have made it known that English Learners will succeed- No Excuses! I have been a fan of your bold changes. However, you supported increasing classroom sizes to 30 students in the critical grades of kindergarten and first grade. I've been told that students leaving first grade NOT reading have a 1 out of 6 chance to ever catching up. If it's about the students, then please use your influence to minimize class sizes for grades kinder and first.
ReplyDeleteI wont forget the 9% raise. The Cabinet and the process lost complete credibility last year when this was discovered and again this year I am Leary of "leaderships" commitment unless they resend it. I am inclined to disconnect from the process and blindly back my union. I am so sick of revisiting these issues every year. I do believe the union and management saw it coming and have been playing games and posturing for a time closer to the start of the next school year when real decisions have to be made. For example how many teachers were pink slipped last year and how many come august were let go? From March to August those new teachers with careers in education went through hell knowing the job market was bleak and they had no assurances from RUSD other than their head was on the chopping block. Its time classified and certificated employees worry less and the uppermost "Leaders" of management and union consider THEIR jobs at risk.
ReplyDeleteI don't even know what to say anymore. I feel so angry and devastated for so many reasons. I feel let down by the leaders of this district.
ReplyDeleteEven if it's not their actions that got us here, it's their reaction to the situation that has let down their employees.
I agree with much of what is posted on Dr. Miller's blog, we have to work together, all of us to achieve an equitable solution. We must all remember to stand together, united in the common goal to educate our students without unnecessary job losses. All positions are important, yes, there is waste at the top, I am hopeful that Dr. Miller will recognize this and act upon it. This is why we, yes, we, the coalition of teachers and classified employees hired him. To bring honesty and transparency to our district. We must hold Dr. Miller accountable for all actions now taking place within RUSD. At one of Dr. Miller's first board meetings, he stated that the 10-15% increases to the cabinet occurred prior to his tenure with our district and yes we understoond this statement a year ago, however, it is one year later, it is time for Dr. Miller to stand for our student's education, making the hard decisions that will surely impact his cabinet level employees. Let us be careful about pitting us against each other, critisizing our peers in the classroom and support staff, we have to work together. To insult classified staff, insinuating they are not educated, is a mistake. Truth be known, there are many classified staff that have completed their BA degrees and are equally prepared to serve RUSD in many positions. Focus on the issues, not on tearing us apart.
ReplyDeleteWhy is everything cut, cut , cut. Why can't the schools try to find more ways of bringing in revenue? RUSD has shot themselves in the foot by not supporting our local businesses. They have a strick policy not to advertise for any business, but yet want them to donate money. Advertising is one of them most profitable business in the world. We have lots of businesses in our community which are increaseing revenue when everyone else is going down. It is about being creative. To work in the school district you have to have a college degrees. Someone must be able to come up with ideas to help close the gap without cuts. I understand we may not be able to make up the whole gap with revenue ideas, but we shouldn't close the gap with just cuts either. Talk with the business community and ask for helpful ideas to bring in more money or other ways of saving money without cutting people. I feel if the district changes their policy on advertising and if you impliment the project correctly it can bring in over $1,000,000 a year. This would also develop a closer relationship with our local businesses and possibly open the doors for ideas to bring in more.
ReplyDeleteDean of Students instead of the AP of Discipline are you kidding me? How can an undegreed classified employee be given this position? Or will you be taking an out of work degreed ex-AP now looking ofr a job and willing to become a classified employee. I feel that this is a key position in High Schools and how could the Board ever take away this position?
ReplyDeleteI think we need to keep meaningful dialogue continuing on ways to survive the budget shortfall. However, I think we need an immediate moratorium on the continued assumption that classified employees are uneducated or don't hold college degrees. Many classifed employees even hold Master's Degrees. That doesn't make the Dean of Students idea a good one, but we need to focus on coming together in the education community to save our childrens' futures; not focus on the assumed intelligence or education of one group in that community.
ReplyDeleteI could not have said it better myself Laura Wood. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Laura..I am a classified and have a dual BA. We need to come up with a long term solution and stop targeting each other. Start at the top and work down not the other way around. In the long run, the kids are the ones that suffer. Government has put more demands on staff with less 'bodies' to complete the task. No matter how much we complain or vent, it is going to happen. I do have one question: Does anyone in 'charge' every read the replies and look at some of the suggestions that are made? It would appear not since these ideas and so called meetings fall on closed eyes and ears. It is called 'selective seeing and hearing.' It is my understanding that this blog was created so that everyone can stay in touch with what is going on within the district. It does work since all of us read the original blog...but does its creator read the comments and analyze them for possible solutions.
ReplyDeleteThe district had over $50,000,000 to cut. This is more than increasing class sizes or down sizing departments. RUSD didn't "do this" to staff, the state of California did. Businesses are suffering from the spiral downfall in the economy, too. How could businesses bail RUSD out when they are struggling to keep their doors open?
ReplyDeleteRUSD has a difficult task. Cuts are going to happen - that's a fact.
There seems to be a lot of finger pointing. I agree that we need to come together.
Do you remember that the district offered early retirement incentive, but RTCA turned it down? Union, what is wrong with you that you didn't help us save jobs by retiring teachers? Both sides need to work together to find solutions.
Cuts are going to happen. RUSD has a huge dollar amount to cut. We are in better shape than other districts (if you can believe it). It isn't because we aren't about kids - for that is our sole purpose.
Let's put our energy into teaching the kids here and now. Afterall, we are still receiving our paychecks for work rendered. Let's get to work!
Sorry, you are incorrect about the early retirement and the Union refusing it. Need to know the facts.
ReplyDeleteCheck out the Board's agenda for Monday. Looks like a lot more pink slips are coming in Group 3. 73.8 teachers to due to "the need to increase the certificated staffing ratio for grades 7 through 12", 23.2 more due to "the elimination of the over-allocation funding at the secondary level", 6 more due to "the elimination of Adequate Yearly Progress funding grades, k-12" Break down of how each subject matter will be pinked is included. WOW!
ReplyDeleteCuts are coming in all areas; that is reality. Management, classified, certificated. We need to stop pointing fingers. Sports may not be the most important, but schools already have precious little else that is "fun" and not a part of test prep to offer to my kids. It would be nice to see sports not cut too deeply.
ReplyDeleteIf every type of program is cut, I see that as fair. Libraries are taking a cut (less staff), counselors are taking a cut, assistant principals, custodians, teachers, etc. Sports should take some too. As for those who are concerned about the 9% raise, yes, that was not a good thing, but many choose to forget that in 2008 when many got pink slips, the union fought for raises for teachers, and got them (not 9%). How stupid. In 2008 we all knew bad financial times were upon us, and we should have known better then, too.
Teachers, we make ourselves look greedy when we complain about our pink slips but forget that there are so many other hard working RUSD employees that have already been laid off, and the district only comes for us as a last resort. Yes, the kids do depend on us, but my kids need to be able to go to the library, and they need to be able to go to the restroom and have the toilets working too. We are not better than other employees in other areas; we just do different jobs. We should offer to take furlough days to save jobs, our own and others. Union leaders - why have we not been asked if we want to have furloughs?
I do agree that the district spends money on district assessments that could be cut, and I am sure there are other areas that are wasteful from a classroom perspective. Cut it all. But when it comes down to it, there is no magic pot of money that will save us all. California has no money; therefore, RUSD has no money. We still have a job to do - work together to educate kids and enrich their lives. In my classroom, I don't need fancy technology, nor do I need expensive new textbooks that teach to the test, or people paid to push the next new strategy. I only need the love and excitement of learning to pass that spark on to my students.
All I read about is cuts, layoffs, furlough days, and how the budget crisis is affecting everything. Yet in my mailbox today I got a worthless 2 page mailer from the district touting how great it is with all of its recent accomplishments. How nice of them to "toot their own horn" while laying off teachers. What a waste of time and money to produce, print, and mail out that piece to everyone who lives in the RUSD boudaries. SHAME ON THE DISTRICT for such a waste. Let's have some common sense when it comes to what the priorities are for spending what precious dollars are available.
ReplyDeleteWhy not close down the RUSD (District Office and all schools) for one month during the summer...this would save salaries, utilities, etc. and give everyone a rest.
ReplyDeleteThe mailer was the Program Improvement Letter mandated by the State but as usual blame the District
ReplyDeleteI am extremely disheartened by people's ignorance about classified employees and their automatic assumption that they are uneducated and incapable of making decisions that affect our students. Most classified employees have AT LEAST an AA degree, and classified employees are already involved with student discipline on campus. Campus supervisors and secretaries and health clerks and library and instructional aides are ALREADY involved in the lives of students every day, and they are just as committed as teachers and administrators. Before you judge the district for making discipline a classified position (dean of students), stop making ignorant generalizations about support staff!
ReplyDeleteMisconceptions and finger-pointing abound. How about a public Q and A session with cabinet and union officials? Everyone can get straightforward information. Honesty and transparency, please.
ReplyDeleteIt seems many people are quite concerned with the expense of district assessments. Why not ask two questions? 1. How much do all assessments grades K-12, in all content areas, actually cost? 2. Who is really asking that the assessments be administered? You may be surprised at the answers. Quit blaming "the district" for everything.
ReplyDeleteAs I gear up for a larger group of students in my classroom next year, I am thankful that I will have a job. Along with higher class sizes, I am prepared to accept furlough days if it will help save even one teaching position. Those of us that will be left teaching next year will be taking on heavier work loads, including more students, more committees, etc.... My question is: How many management positions in the downtown office are being eliminated to help the budget? Certainly, these assistant superintendents/managers should be prepared to take on a heavier workload if they expect the same from teachers.
ReplyDeleteAmen to the above!
ReplyDeleteThank you to the union reps who vigorously defend and represent us...it is a tireless job. Most who criticize don't know the facts or truth about the district negotiations and the games the district reps play. The union reps, who are teachers like you & me, give up their Saturdays and evenings, only to be told at some of the meetings that the district came to the meetings with nothing to offer..why, then, did they call the meeting? It's a game to the district, and not a nice one sometimes it appears.
ReplyDeleteRe the ERIP...why does the district need to attach anything to it? That is ridiculous! They are saying that they really don't want to offer anything, but since the union keeps asking for it (rather than the district offering it), they attach conditions that are not in our best interest! Please get that! We have a contract for a reason, and we need to think of the long term, not just the short run. Why is the district so sneaky about this, and then blame the union? People...get your facts from the union reps, or call Mark...but get the updated facts. The district illegally attached Transfer Rights to the negotiations before January, without any warning...they don't play fair. And now again, they have a much smaller offer and still expect us to give up a huge contract right. 100 ERIPS does not guarantee saving 100 jobs...there is no guarantee that 100 people will retire with this minimal ERIP offer anyways.
I understand the frustration of us all, but don't compromise the contract rights we have to give in for the short-run, because one day it WILL affect you at some point. See the long-term advantages and don't be bullied by the district in this matter...they should WANT to offer the ERIP, not try to trick us as they did with the 9% raise they gave themselves. They also tricked us a few years ago when they forced us to give up the 55 years old + 10 years experience in the district (expires June 2010), one can retire with health benefits... TO... 57 years old and 15 years of experience...THEN, after negotiations were over and the union gave in, then the Cabinet voted to KEEP THE 55/10 FOR THEMSELVES!!!! TRICKERY that is NOT in our best interest! I think Mark is holding the line in our best interest...don't fall for the district retorick and rumors...get the facts!
As a pink slipped teacher who made the mistake coming to RUSD a few years ago & gave up tenure & job security in a different teacher, I have come to the realization that RUSD DOES NOT care about their teachers. We are the first to be cut from payroll. We are in the "trenches" working harder than administration. We are chastised if our classroom scores aren't up to par. Yet, what support are we given? We have had the doom of the pink slips hanging over our heads since Dec. Yet, God forbid we don't let that affect our teaching. Why doesn't the district stop state testing for a year or so? Or eliminate it in 2nd grade. In the schools that have met their AYP goal, have them take the test every other year. It's amazing how many millions of dollars that could save. Which would equal saving jobs. Oh, but wait, the money would be used toward athletics or perhaps a new football field, or an athletic coach, etc. Think about the lives you're destroying RUSD! Not to mention the students that will not benefit from Class Sized Reduction.
ReplyDeleteSomeone needs to help me understand this one. A High School is cut yet another AP (now 3) and a district employee that can not suspend a student is now over the dicipline of a school. Can this really be true???
ReplyDeleteAmen to the comment about coming from another district. I also came from another district, one who treated their employees like family. It was a large district like RUSD, but the upper management had open communication and did everything they could to support their teachers and their students. They were true leaders who didn't play games or make up rules as they went. Unlike RUSD, they were honest in what their intentions were and how they would handle things in a budget crisis. In RUSD, I feel like everything is a big secret and all of a sudden we are blind sided with another devastating decision. RUSD is only concerned with PR and their bottom line.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't anyone tell the pink slipped teachers and other laid off support staff what their long term goal is. Are they really going to do everything they can to get us all back or do they think a certain number will actually be laid off next year. How many pinks are "just in case" and how many are actually going to be out of a job?
I realize that our government has put us in this situation, but it doesn't ease my disappointment in the district. People are blaming the district not because they did this to us, but because they are not stepping up and being leaders. They should have been working night and day since the 09-10 school year began to have an arsenal of budget solutions. They should have met everyday, if that's what it took, to come up with ways to make the hundreds of ideas submitted work. They should have had dozens of plans ready to put into action when needed. Instead, it was easier to increase class sizes and lay off teachers.
Being pink slipped is not fun, but the disservice being done to our kids is far worse!
Here is my take on the district's insistence on waiving the transfer language:
ReplyDelete(1) There are a number of administrators who will be reassigned to classroom teaching positions according to the latest round of RIFs. The district will need to place those administrators. However, most desirable teaching positions are currently occupied by credentialed and highly qualified teachers, and current contract language prohibits reassigning a teacher unless it is to replace them with someone with more experience and better qualifications. Waiving the language would allow the district to place these administrators ANYWHERE the district wants, without regard to their qualifications. The highly qualified, credentialed, and experienced teachers currently in those positions would simply be told to pack their belongings up and leave to move somewhere they probably don't want to be. That is wrong.
(2) The district currently already practices this, allowing site administration to show preference with unqualified staff they "like" over staff that is credentialed and highly qualified that they "don't like." It has been an ongoing fight at my school site for the last several years that the district has been placing teachers into classes they are not qualified to teach according to their credential, while fully credentialed teachers are reassigned. Don't tell me it won't happen, because it did to me the day before school began in 2008 when I was reassigned 4 out of 5 periods in favor of a guy who did not even have a credential to teach my subject in which I have not only a credential but an undergraduate degree! I was told by my site administrator when I objected, "I'll give anyone who spends their own money and does extracurricular activities any schedule they want. We have too many teachers here who just teach." I eventually won the grievance I filed ( after a month-long fight), but the district wants to remove even that avenue with the waiver of the contract language regarding transfers. Even this year, individuals at my school site are still being placed into classes without credentialed teachers being given the opportunity. That again is wrong, and is really what the district is about with this insistence on the transfer language being waived.
So in answer to the anonymous individuals who are posting on this blog saying waive the language regarding transfers to save jobs, I say to you that I have experienced firsthand the type of treatment the district will use on highly qualified and credentialed employees. Waiving the language will not affect anyone's chance of being rehired, but it will make it possible to put an administrator or other employee in a teaching position they may not be qualified to occupy, and displace someone who is without any avenue for recourse. There are no other districts who have tied transfer language to ERIP. Jurupa just offered $55,000 for an ERIP incentive with no transfer language change, and their budget reserves are a fraction of RUSD's. If they can do it, so can RUSD if their purpose is really to "save jobs." Waiving the transfer language serves a hidden agenda, and helps none of our certificated and credentialed employees, RIFed or no.
Interesting to read the comment about how great someone's previous district was. I wonder why you left it, if it was so wonderful? I also imagine that if you were still with said district, as they began to lay off teachers for all the same reasons that every other district in California is laying off teachers, you wouldn't have such complementary things to say.
ReplyDeleteYour comment that the financial catastrophe that is currently facing us was a big secret kept from you by the district is amusing. Unless, as I suspect is untrue, you have neither heard nor seen any news in the last 3 years you have known about the reasons for the current crisis. Your comment that district officials should have been working night and day to come up with solutions was interesting to me as well. For the last 2 years prior to the current layoffs, we teachers have been aware that we escaped being laid off by the skin of our teeth, yet were we working "night and day" for the past year to organize letter writing campaigns to the legislature, to involve our communities and parents, to work with officials to give ideas? No. And yes, I AM a teacher who is as guilty of not doing this as all of you are. I take full responsibility for my inaction. I too, am a part of the problem. To me all of this railing against the situation is way too little, way too late.
I am heart broken that my new kindergartener will not have the same education as my Third Grade Child! She will have 30 kids in her kindergarten class. My other child has always had 20! Where is the right to a fair,and equal education that America so raves about?
ReplyDeleteDr. Miller:
ReplyDeleteThank you for allowing this type of openness in the RUSD community = we have needed this type of forum (without fear of our jobs) for a very long time, as you can tell.
I have submitted the same comment to the BAC site (3 times) as I have submitted to this website above...yet it still has not been posted. Who is in charge of the postings for the BAC site? My hope is that they have the same policy of openness as you have. I posted to both sites because some people only read one site. If it is OK with your blog, why not, then for the BAC site. It does address budget issues. Thank you again!
PS: I've noticed that the Group 2 & 3 budget cuts were not posted until shortly before the board meetings and Group 4 was posted after work on Friday...any chance these can be posted earlier?
Three thoughts:
ReplyDelete1)What stipulations/language do other districts have with respect to transfers? We don't need to reinvent the wheel, just make a couple of phone calls to see how they handle this situation. Problem solved!
2)Classic, albeit negative, negotiating strategy is to present the worst case/most undesireable offer, knowing full well you really will settle for less. Scare tatics do work. We seem a lot like the co-dependent, abused partner in a relationship - at this point we will settle for anything. Exmple: offer the teachers a large incentive if they cave on the transfer issue or offer more pink slips and a smaller "incentive."
3)With respect to the $15,000 retirement "incentive", it really is meager if you consider the typical restrictions placed on such offers. First, if you take a lump-sum payment of $15,000 you will pay taxes on the money(assuming a 20% tax bracket, you would net approx. $13,000). of course you would need to be older than 59.5 to use this option. Second, most Districts don't offer Retiremet Incentives that allow a lump-sum option - it is not cost effective for them. Rather, they give you the opportuity to receive the money in an annuity payable over five years using monthly installments. This allows the District to earn interest on the money and spread the cost over a longer time frame. Typically Districts offer $50,000 to $80,000 to provide an "incentive!"
I may not be the brightest bulb on the street, but it seems that our district does not illuminate all the facts.
Thank you to the person who informed others that classified employees are not necessarily uneducated or unqualified. Many of us have degrees, have continued our educations and may be better qualified to administer discipline than someone who has been educated to "teach."
ReplyDeleteI would like to clarify my comment about coming from another district.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I left the district in order to be closer to home because of a family illness. My old district did not pink slip any teachers last year and although they sent out pink slips this year, they were very open with the communication. They let the pinked teachers know right away that they would probably get there job back and how they were planning on doing that. They have already rescended most of them.
Second, my comment was not that the district kept the budget crisis a secret, but that they keep their intentions and their plan to fix it a secret. Why can't they say "We sent out ______ pink slips. We're hoping to have _______ poeple retire or leave the district. Were looking into ______, _______, and ______ to save another ________ jobs. That only leaves _____ teachers who will still be laid off." Instead we have to read the board agenda and go to meetings to try to decode what their ultimate plan is.
Third, I remember getting my final notice last year and then being hired back just in time. The only thing that saved me was the federal stimulus money. In my opinion, if you are getting paid high dollar amounts to be a district leader, it is your job to relentlessly push for change against the injustice being done to education so that the teachers can focus on their stdents. I put my trust in my leaders that they are the experts on what we need to push for and how we need to push. So, when we were barely saved last year, they had to know it would be worse this year and should have started in August working agressively (not casually) to have solutions ready to implement.
Two issues about tomorrow's School Board Meeting.
ReplyDelete1) Mr. Fine's presentation - group #4 is not available on line for review - 'to be provided under seperate cover'. This is the same tactic used when the Custodians and LMA's were axed. Under cover - and hidden until the very last minute. Dr. Miller, where is the transparency you promised when you were hired? The public has a right to review documents prior to the School Board Meeting.
2) Mrs. Paredes' presentation for the 'Game Day' PE instructions for elementary school. The identified $118,305. are these Grant funds? Who will be instructing these sessions? Teachers / classified? In a period when we are laying off teachers and classified employees, is this the time to really be adding extra duties and spending funds that should be used to keep our teachers and classified staff working?
Thank you for your consideration.
The Federal Stimulus Funds were not used to save jobs last year,they were received after June 30, 2009. They were placed in a holding account, (Savings)I would assume, gained interest and are to be used to help mitigate upcoming layoffs. But what about the interest that 15 million earned?
ReplyDeleteI would surely like to have that pot of funds.
Dr. Miller please consider Management and Athletic/Activities Directors Stipends for mileage and cell phones. Would the District save funds if we went back to the 'old fashioned' way - submit a expense report.
ReplyDelete318 total individuals = $309,600.
In response to Anonomyous who questioned about leaving a wonderful family friendly district and coming to RUSD. I too am a pinked teacher who came from another district in the last few years. I was recruited to this district right before this financial mess was so highly publicized. I left my district due to my family. Working closer to home allowed me more time with my children. I was able to eliminate day care costs, commuting costs, and travel time away from my family. Would I have left my previous district if I had known this was coming? No. I don't regret the time that I have spent with my children. However, I am regretting my decision to leave my previous district and the financial burden that's going to occur. I am facing losing my home and filing bankruptcy. I have a huge amount of guilt because I've caused this to happen to my family. If I would've stayed in my previous district, yes I would be quite "safe." I'm praying for miracles everyday that I'll be able to keep my job.
ReplyDeleteAfter working with assistant principals for the last ten years -- and working with 15 different ones -- I can only tell you that they are the true "work horses" of the district. My boss, in particular, and the other two AP's on our campus -- simply run as fast as they can all day (and night) just to keep up.
ReplyDeleteIn many instances they truly must feel as though they are "swimming upstream" -- and, at the end of the day, they still have to tie up loose ends before heading to a game or even a theatre event
that might keep them well into the evening.
Another question: Does anyone ever ask those of us who work with and for these people "what kind of a supervisor is he/she"???
I know many of the district AP's and could tell you which ones are not productive. Who will be making this decision as to who will go and who will stay?
I challenge the board members and cabinet members -- or even the superintendent to come down to the site level.......walk a mile in our shoes.........and then decide that two AP's can do an adequate job -- not because they are not capable, but simply because there are not enough hours in the day, week or month!