Redondo Beach parents and teachers got a surprise in their inbox last week after Superintendent Steven Keller sent out an email outlining the district’s budgetary predicament and underlining the relationship and finite future of forty temporary teachers in the district.
“Temporary contracts do not necessitate a March 15 lay-off notification per Education Code,” wrote Keller. “Instead, those contracts, when initially signed, clearly stated a start and end date.”
He stressed that there will be no formal lay-off notifications presented to the Board of Education on March 15, and that the school district’s budget is tight and that district and employees must plan for a worst-case budget in the upcoming year.
“Developing a 2012-2013 school district budget on an assumption that perhaps new dollars will arrive to our district in November is a gamble,” wrote Keller. “We don’t gamble.”
Forty temporary positions including temporary teaching positions and any position that has a specific start and end date may not be renewed for the following school year. All of the positions will be open for re-application or potentially eliminated.
Arianne Polselli, a temporary developmental kindergarten teacher was expecting the news.
“That’s what I signed up for,” said Polselli. “We’re just lucky enough that our district doesn’t have to lay people off. Last year we basically got the same letter and ended up getting hired back.”
“It’s a tough time,” said Keller in an interview. “We want to make sure we communicate the message that the budget crisis still looms heavily… there still could potentially be layoffs other than teachers.”
Two potential budget saving ballot measures will come up for vote in November; the Molly Munger California State Income Tax Initiative that could potentially bring in new revenue of $10 billion for public school districts and early childhood development programs, and Governor Jerry Brown’s still evolving initiative that could raise statewide sales tax by a quarter-cent and additional two to three percent tax hike for the wealthy.
“If one of those two ballot measures does not pass there’s only two things that can happen – when you talk about money either you increase class sizes or you look at furlough days or salary reductions,” Keller said.
Amy Santa Cruz, the president of the Redondo Beach Teachers’ Association stresses the need for community members to understand the new ballot measures and vote for education.
“People need know what they are coming down to vote for – they need to support tax initiatives for education for their kids,” said Santa Cruz. “[We] need that dollar flow, need the revenue flow just to keep things even for now. Hopefully the economy will turn in a few years, but right now it’s dire. Class sizes are going up, materials and little things are getting cut… [We] are getting down to basics basic here.”
The school district will begin discussions with the teachers’ unions and classified employees to negotiate next year’s salary and budget while keeping in mind the possibility of no additional funding from the ballot measures.
“Unless we have the settlement with our unions prior to the start of school that addresses these potential mid-year cuts we have to assume worst case scenario budgeting,” said Keller. “We can’t start the school year thinking the ballot measures are going to win. What if it doesn’t? We can’t pay the bills.”
All groups will be going to the bargaining table soon.
“We’ll have a discussion about where the State and district budget is,” said Santa Cruz. “It all comes down to what they can afford, and temporary is a temporary contract unfortunately. They know that when they are hired.”
Last year’s unions came together and agreed to potential furlough days depending on certain mid-year budget triggers. However, the cuts were less than expected and furlough days were not implemented. Although the agreed upon furlough days weren’t necessary last school year, Keller and other district officials still want to be prepared.
“That’s the biggest challenge in all districts right now,” said Santa Cruz. “Maintaining a high quality of academic learning with fewer dollars and resources.”
