Added To Board Meeting Agenda: RIFs

Just added to the School Board meeting agenda today is an Introduction item to allow for "Authorization for a Reduction in Force" by Human Resources.   From the item (red mine):

The District is projecting some budget and program changes for the 2013-2014 school year that will not allow it to maintain its current level of programs and services. In order to maintain expenditures within a level of anticipated revenues, it is necessary for the District to make changes to programs and services and possibly complete a reduction in force of certificated staff. Therefore, it is necessary to give timely notice to people in certificated and classified positions that those positions are being eliminated. For certificated staff, these notices need to be delivered on or before May 15, 2013. 

There is no indication of what programs or services they are talking about or the number of cuts.

It states that this Action Report will be reviewed by the Audit and Finance Committee on April 11th.  I am quite puzzled as to why this is being introduced  to the full Board BEFORE it went before A&F Committee.  

Comments

mirmac1 said…
Isn't transparency a wonderful thing (NOT!)
4/2/13, 8:58 PM
Just Saying said…
It is looking very likely that the state will be putting funding into eduation. Does this mean the district will put dollars back into staffing? I bet they won't.
4/2/13, 10:31 PM
Melissa Westbrook said…
Just Sayin', the big question on your question is "when" and "how much". Until we know what the State is doing, the district has to close the gap.
4/2/13, 10:34 PM
Eric B said…
The Board has to vote for RIFs by some deadline, so that potentially RIFed employees can be notified on the schedule in the collective bargaining agreement. Just because a RIF is authorized doesn't mean it will actually happen. However, they have to authorize it now if there's a possibility that they'll need to do it later. With the way the state legislature is dysfunctioning, RIFs are a decent possibility.
4/3/13, 8:19 AM
Anonymous said…
The May 15th deadline, while well intended, forces the hand of districts before they know about attrition. A district the size of Seattle should not need to RIF in my opinion. They fire young teachers, fill there spots with transfers, then bag them to come back in September. It is musical chairs that benefits no one.

Eric B is correct though, it does not mean that anyone will be laid off.
-JL
4/4/13, 6:38 AM
Anonymous said…
oops, * beg

-JL
4/4/13, 6:39 AM
KG said…
Just Saying,

I bet they will give Duggan Harman and all theimportant Central Administrators more money for continuing run this District into the ground. Thus keeping up with their belief that keeping the money away from the schools works best.
4/4/13, 3:57 PM
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