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March 31, 2012

Retrenchment in education: a national problem

Retrenchment in education: a national problem
Source: Selected items reported in newspapers and blogs and on television concerning teacher layoffs

Below are some of the articles concerning the reduction of teaching personnel in schools districts throughout the United States.


Montville schools brace for cuts; 18 teachers get layoff notices
Norwich Bulletin
By KALA KACHMAR The Montville school district has issued layoff notices to 18 teachers indicating the school board might not renew their contracts next year because of budget constraints. The state requires teachers be notified by May 1 if there is a ...
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Pontiac schools to lay off 95, including 43 teachers
The Detroit News
By Shawn D. Lewis Pontiac— The Pontiac Public School District will lay off 95 employees, including 43 teachers, beginning next month as part of its plan to eliminate a $24.5 million deficit. The cuts also include 27 school administrators, ...
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Zionsville economy, property values, quality teachers hang in the balance of ...
Indianapolis Star
The rejection resulted in the layoff of 21 teaching and counseling positions. Last year, the school district finally got a money-saving ballot measure passed when 74.5 percent approved a plan to refinance debt as a way to generate a few million dollars ...
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Ohio Federation of Teachers says Cleveland reform plan lacks any proven ...
Plain Dealer
Jackson's plan would possibly expand the school year or school day, set-up a merit pay for teachers, base layoffs on teacher performance and make getting rid of poor teachers easier. Seniority would no longer be the sole determining factor in layoffs ...
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Shrewsbury parents object to class sizes, talk override
Wicked Local
Although Superintendent Joseph Sawyer announced $2.3 million in cuts recently, including five teacher layoffs and the loss of 32 full-time positions, the district is still facing an $844000 budget gap. If the town does not receive increased revenue, ...
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979 fewer teachers in Maryland public schools
The Star Democrat
Half of the state's school systems have fewer teachers this year than last with a system's largest decline reaching 634. In recent years, some other states have undergone budget cuts sometimes resulting in thousands of teacher layoffs.
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School board works to close budget gap
YNN
After last week's recommendation of more than 100 teacher layoffs, Superintendent Joe Hochreiter laid out further possible reductions in special education services and facility usage. Hochreiter also challenged the district staff to make concessions if ...
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Littleton Educators' Association, School Committee reach tentative agreement
Wicked Local
... would cost $16.9 million in fiscal 2013, including step-and-lane salary increases and increased special education costs, the School Committee has voted for a $16.3 million budget, which may incorporate both teacher layoffs and fee increases.
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Public speaks against Shenandoah Valley budget plan
Republican & Herald
SHENANDOAH - The proposed cuts in many programs and layoffs of teachers drew a standing-room-only crowd for Wednesday's regular meeting of the Shenandoah Valley Board of Education, with most speakers focusing on the planned loss of the music program.
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Schools Will Be Protected From Cuts Next Year, Walcott Says
New York Times
By Anna M. Phillips After years of painful cuts and threats of teacher layoffs, New York officials laid out on Tuesday a decidedly more optimistic portrait of financing for city schools next year, saying they expected that principals would have enough ...
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Massie tells City Council funding gap will bring more teacher layoffs
Lynchburg News and Advance
Interim Superintendent Larry Massie told Lynchburg City Council Tuesday the school division will cut more teachers, beyond the 34 positions already budgeted, if $3.7 million in additional funding does not materialize. Massie and School Board Chairman ...
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No teacher layoffs in Kingsburg schools
Kingsburg Recorder
By Mary Lou Aguirre Kingsburg Joint Union High School District teachers can enjoy their spring vacation knowing their jobs aren't in jeopardy. KHS Principal/Superintendent Randy Morris was asked if state cuts to education would result in layoffs for ...
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Hundreds protest layoffs at Baldwin Park Unified meeting
Pasadena Star-News
BALDWIN PARK - Dressed in red and armed with signs and chants, hundreds of parents, children and teachers Tuesday took on a half-mile march to a Baldwin Park Unified board meeting to protest recent teacher layoffs. The rally came on the heels of a ...
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Breaking Down the Budget: What Teacher Layoffs Would Mean
Patch.com
Patch File photo As the Three Village Central School District copes with losses in state aid combined with unfunded mandates and rising costs, administrators have proposed eliminating nine full-time equivalent teaching positions at the elementary level ...
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Fulton County Schools officials say budget could be balanced without layoffs ...
Atlanta Journal Constitution
By D. Aileen Dodd Fulton County Schools chief financial officer Robert Morales said Tuesday as the district prepares for budget season it is facing a $41.9 million funding gap that it could handle without teacher layoffs or furlough days.
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Students upset iPads bought for school while teachers are laid-off
39online.com
Well originally there was the suggestion that the $18 million spent on the devices would be better served preventing teacher's layoffs. But since bond money can't be used for salaries, the argument of equality came up, suggesting that rather than ...
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School Board Approves 52 Layoff Notices, Technology Upgrades
Patch.com
By Carl Engelking As part of the planning process for the 2012-13 budget, the Menomonee Falls School Board on Monday approved the issuance of 52 preliminary layoff notices for teaching staff. School Board Member Gina Palazzari said the total number of ...
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Protest Planned at School Board Meeting for Teacher Layoffs
Patch.com
"There will be hundreds of parents, teachers and students wearing red to support our teachers." At least seven teachers are being laid off in Geddes Elementary, according to Mata. The school is located at 14600 Cavette Place, close to the intersection ...
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Dublin to lay off 16 teachers, cut 30 vacant positions
Columbus Dispatch
By Collin Binkley Two central Ohio school districts are finalizing layoffs for next school year after November levy failures. The Dublin school board voted tonight to cut 46 teaching jobs –– though only 16 people will lose jobs –– and 133 supplemental ...
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Republicans look to governor on teacher layoffs
Pioneer Press
By Megan Boldt State lawmakers who want to end seniority-based teacher layoffs put Gov. Mark Dayton's education chief on the hot seat Monday, March 26, on whether the Democrat's administration had any appetite to negotiate an agreement this year on ...
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Calif. Schools Urged to Change Layoff Policy to Improve Teaching
NewsMax.com
By Andy Butcher California school officials should change their staff downsizing policy to improve teaching and boost morale, according to the state legislative analyst's office. Procedures now base layoffs on seniority, which means that the most ...
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California Urged To Address Teacher-Layoff Policies
Education Week News (blog)
By Stephen Sawchuk on March 26, 2012 10:18 AM An analysis from California's Legislative Analyst's Office urges the state to consider revamping its teacher-layoff policies, including reducing the emphasis on seniority. The report makes nonpartisan ...
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Board Rejects Plan to Lay Off 500 Teachers, Staff
Patch.com
“Our teachers and paraprofessionals are our children's greatest asset. We really urge you to have some discussions with us before making a decision.” Staff members urged the board to reject the layoffs, and some questioned a proposal to implement a ...
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Lennox district shields teachers
Daily Breeze
By Rob Kuznia Staff Writer In a move that has the teachers union up in arms, the Lennox School District is making an end-run around "last-hired, first-fired" seniority laws, sending layoff notices to 100 of the district's 340 teachers, yet shielding ...
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Cleveland Teachers Union and Mayor Frank Jackson move closer to agreement on ...
Plain Dealer (blog)
The major accord came with how to handle the layoff and recall of teachers, with Jackson agreeing Monday to use the plan suggested by teachers last week. The compromise plan would rely on teacher evaluations first, and tenure and seniority second.
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Teachers' Support For Reform Depends In Part On Experience -- Gates/Scholastic ...
Huffington Post
"Layoffs shouldn't be based on seniority, and it's good to make it hard to let go of teachers who are doing well." Many of these reform measures involve shaking up the teaching profession in a way that makes promotion less dependent on experience.
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Teacher tenure bill may be unacceptable to Gov. Dayton
Minnesota Public Radio
They want public school administrators to be able to consider job performance, and not just years of service, when making decisions about teacher layoffs. Cassellius said she shares the goal of having effective teachers in every classroom.
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Clyde cuts teachers, mulls levy
Fremont News Messenger
Elchert said there is a possibility the district could receive more retirements in the summer, which could lead to some of the laid-off employees being called back to work. The board also approved reductions to several non-teaching positions.
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The Layoff, Preferred List and Reinstatement Manual - a 645 page e-book reviewing the relevant laws, rules and regulations, and selected court and administrative decisions is available from the Public Employment Law Press. Click On http://nylayoff.blogspot.com/ for additional information about this electronic reference manual.
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