AEA’s Exchange Committee met with Dr. Benson and Dr. Moran on March 2nd to review the proposed RIF policy. Our concerns were addressed by numerous changes. We continue to review the proposed policy. AEA members should provide feedback to your building representative and to the school board. We expect to address the board on Thursday 3/11, when the policy is on the agenda as an information only item.
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The proposed policy will be on the agenda at the next Rep. meeting, 3/16.
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The school board is expected to take action later this month.
AEA’s Exchange Committee met with Dr. Benson and Dr Moran on Tuesday, March 2, in regards to the proposed policy. AEA made a number of suggestions to clarify meaning and make some changes/additions to the policy. AEA was very encouraged with the discussion that took place at this meeting. We are now waiting for the modified draft, for review, before taking a position on the policy.
There are now so many facebook pages, websites, and other cyber based movements set up to support raising revenue for county schools, it is difficult to keep up with them. Continue reading 'County Parents Speak Out For Schools'»
Check out the Blue Ridge Uniserv page for links to news coverage of the Richmond Rally. (Look to the Bogroll on the right) In addition to local AEA leaders and Albemarle County teachers, local superintendents were in attendance. Dr. Bruce Benson from Albemarle attended, and the Superintendent of Orange County Schools was a featured speaker.
School Board Work Session on 2/25
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Early Retirement Incentives will be voted on Monday at a special meeting. Deadline for applications will be March 15th. (Assuming the funding the board believes they can obtain is available, I would guess these incentives are very likely to be offered.)
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The board invited three groups to the table to discuss the proposed RIF policy. AEA, Teacher Advisory, and Building Level Administrators, all agreed that, if done carefully, the changes can be positive. The board agreed not to move on the new policy until March 25. They asked staff to make sure the board had the proposal ahead of time to give them time to review it. The policy will be on the Board agenda March 11 for discussion and public comment. AEA commented that we have not had time to review the draft policy in any level of detail. Various comments were made by all three groups. There was extended comments about the degree of objectivity and subjectively in the policy.
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AEA will have additional comments after we have reviewed the exact language of the policy. Links to the policy can be found in the recent division wide communication and below. We do anticipate at least some minor changes, and do not have any position on the overall policy until we have reviewed it in detail.
http://schoolcenter.k12albemarle.org/education/sctemp/e79534fdab09110c40cc9c894bfe7444/1267387353/Policy_GCPA_Revision_022410.pdf
AEA received the final draft language on the proposed RIF changes Wednesday morning. This is scheduled to go to the school board on Thursday evening for discussion.
AEA believes this should be tabled for now (not scrapped, just postponed). We have asked that it be tabled and not go before the school board. Our reasoning:
1. This is a distraction from the budget crisis, the current priority.
2. We have not had time to meet and review the policy, something we understood would happen.
2. Although we believe any changes should begin after July 1, even a 30 day delay would be preferable to right now.
4. It has not been effectively communicated out to all staff. Teacher Advisory was apparently charged with soliciting feedback, but many schools are not represented there. Something this big should be communicated out by principals at a faculty meeting.
5. There is no linkage between this and the early retirement program, Early retirement incentives can be done if the Rif changes are done now, 30 days from now, or next year.
Tuesday February 23, 2011
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The Albemarle Education Association endorses an increase in the county’s real estate tax rate in an amount necessary to fully fund the Superintendent’s 2010-2011 school funding request; according to Governor McDonnell’s proposed budget, that will require an increase of approximately 11 cents per one hundred dollars of assessed value. Assuming the agreed upon 60/40 split with county government, this will also provide needed monies for other core services such as public safety and transportation. This additional tax revenue should allow the school system to remain at tier one cuts, limiting layoffs to 40-50 teachers and/or educational support professionals. AEA believes that failure to fund the school budget will irremediably damage our schools and thus harm our students.
For further information, please contact
David Oberg
Blue Ridge UniServ Director
A Facebook group has been created by an Albemarle resident and educator. Check out and join:
Save Albemarle County Schools..Raise taxes
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Other sites of interest include:
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http://www.albemarlegreatschools.org/
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http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=320696692073
Notes from the school board work session on February 19th
There was a large turnout of concerned parents at the meeting about redistricting.
The board agreed to take redistricting off the table at this time.
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News from the state:
There are 731 million dollars in reductions for education at the state level.
There will be substantial reductions in contributions to VRS to save money. This will create a crisis in the future, in the years when this has to be repaid with interest.
The Governor: “….these reductions will reduce funding to the same level it was in 2006.”
State funding is based on two-year old data. Continue reading 'And the News Continues'»
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