CCEA President Addresses School BoardAt issue, the $54 million in funding from the Education Jobs Bill
CCEA President Ruben Murillo hand-delivered a letter to the School Board of Trustees on September 1 to urge them to restore the monies necessary to make whole on the step freeze. Below is the message submitted.
"Dear Board of Trustees,
I am in receipt of the CCSD’s plan for distribution of funds provided by the recently passed Education Jobs bill.
CCEA did not sit in any of the cabinet meetings where the decisions were made regarding the expenditure of $57.7 million. Dr. Ruffles did inform me, through a phone call and a subsequent meeting, of the intended use of the Education Jobs money.
At the August 26, 2010 School Board of Trustees meeting, I proposed revisions to the CCSD plan for your consideration.
As President of CCEA, I am again requesting the CCSD Board of Trustees consider the following changes to the proposed plan.
1. Utilize $15 million to restore the freeze in salary steps based on experience. The Education Jobs bill allows for the money provided to be used in such a manner. How, in good faith, will CCSD be able to ask teachers to make concessions in the future when you have an opportunity to restore cuts when funds are made available? CCEA and CCSD didn't anticipate this additional funding by the federal government, and had we known this money would have been available, why would we have agreed to it? We're not asking for an increase in salary or benefits, but simply to be made whole.
2. Selectively restore staffing levels to 100% at schools that did not make AYP or are in Needs Improvement status. This would allow for resources to be earmarked for schools that need additional staff in targeted areas.
3. Delay the restoration of 60 site-based administrators.
The following factors could cause problems if too many staff positions were filled or created.
1. School enrollments coming under projections on count day would eliminate the need for the hiring or replacement of school administrators at these schools.
2. Staffing of all schools at 100% could cause potential layoffs of new employees next year. CCSD and CCEA have worked hard to make sure no teachers lose their jobs by being proactive and staffing schools at 97% for the past two school years. Even this measure wasn't enough to guarantee that a Reduction In Force would not take place in the 2010-2011 school year. The use of the $15 million to help restore the freeze in salary steps would help to make those teachers whole. They have mortgages and other financial obligations to meet. Restoring the freeze this year would not prevent the creation of new jobs.
3. The over-hiring of school administrators, specifically site-based administrators ($6 million) could lead to an even greater number of them being potentially RIF'd as teachers next year.
The question no one can answer but has to be asked is “Given Nevada's bleak financial future, what will teachers be asked to sacrifice next year? Will it be lay offs, financial concessions, increased difficult working conditions?”
I welcome the opportunity to discuss these recommendations."
CCEA President Ruben Murillo and many association leaders and members will be attending the September 2 School Board meeting where the Trustees will be addressing this funding. You are encouraged to attend.