As most of you know by now, there have been numerous School Board meetings regarding possible budget cuts in the district. As always, your Alliance leaders were present at these meetings and spoke on your behalf. Based off these meetings:
-Nothing has been decided. Nothing is a “done deal.”
-The school board has the final say and has not yet made any decisions.
-Your Alliance leaders are on top of the situation.
-Alliance leaders are meeting with and talking with Board members regularly.
-Board members are asking the right questions.
-The budget crisis at the state level is affecting school districts across the state so these difficult conversations are happening everywhere, not just in SAISD.
-The school board will meet again on Tues., Jan. 18th at 5:30pm to continue discussions.
-The Alliance will be soliciting input from employees as to possible cost-cutting measures.
-Please take the survey to give your ideas on possible cost-cutting measures. Now is a time for us all to stick together!
Administration asked the School Board to give the go-ahead on the following actions:
-Salary freeze
-Hiring freeze, except teaching positions
-Ongoing leveling of teaching positions based on enrollment (previously this has happened only early in the school year when teachers are moved between schools based on student enrollment being higher or lower than projected)
-Restructure Campus Instructional Support (elimination of the CIC position and teacher specialist positions and creation of a smaller pool of instructional support staff that could be “deployed” as needed)
-Formulate plan for incentives for early separation notice (a monetary incentive to employees who notify the district by a specific date that they will be resigning or retiring so that the district will know how many positions are available)
-Issue RFPs (request for proposals) to potential outsource vendors (privatization) with these parameters:
- Hire existing SAISD employees
- Maintain current pay
- Similar benefits
The School Board members raised many questions and did not choose to move forward with these actions at any of the January meetings. While some of these actions may eventually be approved, the Board members emphasized their desire to start the discussions with cuts that would not impact students and would not impact schools. Several Board members have also raised concern about the outsourcing (privatization) concept.
The Administration also presented a lengthy list of potential initiatives that the School Board might consider as they grapple with the budget situation created by the state funding crisis. Again, no action was taken on any of these initiatives. The School Board will meet on January 18 th, 2011 at 5:30pm to discuss these issues again.
The Alliance was the only organization to attend these meetings and speak on behalf of SAISD Employees. Click here to watch Alliance President, Shelley Potter’s, presentation to the School Board.
If Alliance Members have any questions, please contact the Alliance at 225-7174.
Want to Get Involved?
-Attend the Jan. 24 Rep Assembly/General Membership Meeting to get more information.
-Encourage other members to attend the Jan. 24 meeting.
-Sign up new members. This is a time for unity and strength!
-Give us your input on possible cost-cutting measures and encourage others to do the same. Please follow the link and take the survey to give your ideas: http://tinyurl.com/25hb6vn.
Copyright 2011 San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel