Representatives from the teachers’ union and the have come to a tentative agreement on a contract for next year, which will result in and a .
The two sides met Tuesday, and according to an email obtained by Patch from Capistrano Unified Education Association President Vicki Soderberg, an agreement was struck. She called an emergency meeting of teachers’ union reps from the various schools for Thursday afternoon.
Then on Friday, the CUSD Board of Trustees met for a special mid-day meeting to discuss negotiations with the teachers’ union. They met for five minutes in closed session, and President Gary Pritchard announced that the trustees “gave direction to staff.”
However, a source close to the negotiations said the trustees did indeed vote on the tentative contract, which calls for, among other things:
- An increase of 1.5 students on average per class at all grade levels
- The continuation of a 1.2 percent salary cut already in place
- The continuation of three unpaid furlough days already in place
- Five additional unpaid furlough days, to be lopped off at the end of the year
- A freeze on regular salary step-and-column increases for six months
In addition, if doesn’t pass in November, forcing the district to cut another $18 million, the district will:
- Cut another 10 days off the academic calendar (unpaid), to be set for the end of the school year
- Reduce teacher pay by 1.5 percent
However, that pay cut is not set in stone. According to the tentative agreement, shortly after the November election, the two parties will meet again to discuss whether there are ways to avoid the 1.5 percent cut if the temporary taxes don't receive voter approval.
“If no alternative(s) are agreed to on or before Jan. 1, 2013, then the 1.5 percent salary decrease shall continue to be implemented,” according to the tentative contract’s language.
Representatives from CUEA and the school district were not available for comment.
The contract must be ratified by the full membership of the teachers’ union, and then be incorporated into the 2012-13 budget, which is scheduled for trustee approval on June 27.
The district has released few details about the negotiations, other than the , this year. In 2010, the year the teachers went on strike to protest a permanent 10.1 percent cut, the school board’s president, Anna Bryson, was regularly quoted in the local media, and information about the two sides’ goals was widely disseminated.
Asked why the district has released few details this year, Bryson said: “This year CUSD has a different superintendent, board president and board majority.”
The tentative contract also makes other changes, including more "no-tell" personal days off, from three to five of the 10 sick days allowed. In addition, the district has agreed to develop ways to eliminate unnecessary paperwork and streamline duties.
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'doggie' bags. At the end of the day, I don't know this idea solves anything. Maybe better to go with ideas like 4 day school week or apply for status as a Basic Aid district. Very sad teachers are being let go. That should have been the last thing done. Retirements could have accommodated the small drop in enrollment.
Why do you arrogantly assume that if there were vouchers parents would automatically put them in public school? Public schools that are well run and provide an excellent learning experience would excel even with vouchers.
Interesting. I have posted for years that CUSD is too large and cumberson. I do find your proposed district of Coto, Ladera, Los Flores & RSM to be, shall I say, "selfish." You are proposing a district with high to very high income earners. I assume that is why you state such a district would be completely self-sufficient, not requiring any state funding. Since most education funding is funded through the state, I don't see how your proposed district could survive without state funding.
Assuming that a charter school were to allow collective bargaining by teachers, would knee-jerk bloggers oppose the formation of such schools? Is smaller better, or just better managed? What can be done about management without tearing CUSD apart?
I am no math whiz, so please explain to me how the $$$ would be saved in smaller districts. Since the state funds the districts, wouldn't the amount funded be the same? Wouldn't there be more administrative positions added since there would be additional districts?
Most school districts in the state require state funding because their taxes don't fully cover the cost, but a few districts are able to pay the full tab from property tax revenue alone. These "basic aid" districts, like Laguna Beach, are not funded by the state. @ Jim Reardon Disbanding CUSD has nothing to do with charter schools. The new districts would likely have the same unions to deal with and many of the same issues. However, because the district I described above would be self-sufficient the adversarial relationships between the board, parents, the union, & interlopers would be all but erased. The school district as a team rather than rival teams. Take a look at some of the basic aid districts around the state and you'll find much less in-fighting. Maybe it's because those districts are smaller or maybe it's because they are in control of their districts. A better question might be "why keep CUSD together?"
Districts that do that are called "basic aid" districts and there are more than a few in the CA. Unfortunately, that isn't possible with our HUGE district. But breaking up CUSD could make that possible for at least some of the towns in the district. All towns would end up in one district or another and at worst they'd be in roughly the same situation as today. Some, however, could thrive in a way that's not possible with CUSD. It would be better if everyone could benefit from such a situation, but that's clearly not possible.
The last time I heard something like this was Clayton Williams' 1990 analogy to bad weather.
With all due respect, I am really surprised that Basic Aid District funding is still allowed in CA given the preference for 'equal' funding and the State's hunger for money. If you are serious, you might want to research Carlsbad to see what they did that helped them convert to a Basic Aid district a few years ago.
Breaking up the district could be the answer provided that the state funds that would be saved on the new basic districts be transferred to the remaining new districts that need it. The costs of all the additional administrators would have to be looked at as well to be sure it is cost effective.
That's why I said the state funds that normally would be allocated to the new basic districts would have to be given to the other districts such as SJ, SC, DP (in addition to what they receive now). In other words, that would mean more $$$ per student for SJ, etc. than they are receiving now. It's doubtful, though, that the state would do the right thing.
And wouldn't these towns be better served if they had school boards that more accurately and directly reflected their communities? I cannot imagine a board less reflective of my community than the current board. Wouldn't every other taxpayer in the district be better served if people from EACH of our communities were actually on our school board?
Only IF the "have-nots" get the extra money that the "haves" previously received from the state (in addition to what they currently get).
Lariat > News Basic aid funds sustain SOCCCD Funding from local property tax is the only thing standing between the SOCCCD and program cuts By Jason Chung Published: Monday, May 7, 2012 Updated: Thursday, May 10, 2012 23:05 http://www.lariatnews.com/news/basic-aid-funds-sustain-socccd-1.2739146#.T-OXt44vQtY
Now you've been warned, too. Just wanted it on the record, because you have turned away from the insults. Please don't go back. Thanks.
What I am saying is this - you said that the RSM, Coto, etc. district would be self sustaining and not require any funds from the state, right? What I am saying is that I think that would be a good idea if, and only if, the state $$$ that previously were spent on the RSM, Coto, etc. students/ schools were then transferred as additional funds to the "have not" schools. Currently CUSD is underfunded by $1600 per child, so IF the state gave extra funds to the "have nots," then the "have nots' would be on a level playing field, yes?
You wrote "Why do you arrogantly assume that if there were vouchers parents would automatically put them in public school? Public schools that are well run and provide an excellent learning experience would excel even with vouchers." When did I arrogantly assume, with vouchers, parents would choose public schools? I think, but am not sure, that you meant private schools. The very point of vouchers is to take money out of the public school funding system to allow parents to use that money for PRIVATE schools. That's not arrogance, that's a fact. Now of course not all people would try to put their kids in private schools, but some would and that would further damage the public school funding system. As for "Public schools that are well run and provide an excellent learning experience", these will become fewer and fewer as vouchers drain their funding as well. I think this is just reasonable thinking, but if I'm wrong and this is arrogance, then please forgive me.
Good Lord, I hope you are not an English teacher!
You may not like facts, but the fact is EVERYONE in EVERY bracket is paying a lower percentage. ---------------------------------- "You’re entitled to your own opinions. You’re not entitled to your own facts." - Daniel Patrick Moynihan "Facts are stupid things." - Ronald Reagan
When all things are considered, federal tax, state income tax, registration fees, other state taxes, etc., I would still venture that, upon actual analysis, our overall tax burden is lower now than ever. California has high income tax rates, but raising the state income tax rate a point or two is nothing compared to what you pay in federal income tax. Car registration fees of hundreds of dollars would hardly offset the decreases in personal federal income taxes. Personal quote: "What time should I come over to review your taxes?"