Earlier school layoff notices possible
Wisconsin’s public school administrators are being advised to approve preliminary layoff notices for staff by the end of the month—even before they find out how much the state is expected to contribute to their budgets.
The advisory from the Wisconsin Association of School Boards has school officials scrambling.
The association is urging local school officials to decide on staff cuts by Monday or risk having those layoffs challenged later in court.
Janesville schools Superintendent Karen Schulte said Wednesday that the district is waiting for more information from its labor lawyer before deciding what to do.
If the association is right, the school board would meet this weekend to approve the layoffs, Schulte said.
Many teachers contracts, including Janesville’s, require teachers be notified by May 1 of layoffs for the following school year. But those deadlines could be wiped out with the passage of Gov. Scott Walker’s budget repair bill, which eliminates most collective bargaining rights.
If the contract language is no longer in effect, then the deadline for layoff notices becomes the state law. State law requires notices by March 15. Teachers must also receive a preliminary notice 15 days before that.
Schulte said if the district has to decide now, officials probably would err on the side of caution and issue more notices than might ultimately be needed to balance the budget. Officials have said that some number of teacher layoffs will be needed to balance the district’s 2011-12 budget.
Janesville human resources director Steve Sperry told the school board Tuesday that he’s still working on plans for next year’s staffing levels.
The district’s original timeline had called for staffing deliberations in March and approval of layoff notices April 12.
While state aid for next year won’t be known until Walker releases his budget Tuesday, it has been widely reported that school aid will be cut. Janesville officials have heard that their aid could be cut by $5 million. That’s on top of the $10 million budget shortfall that officials have been talking about for several months.
Mar 1, 2011 at 8:17 a.m.
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Hardin724...Who do you think you are with that kind of talk? Everyone should suggest removal for this kind of talk.
Feb 25, 2011 at 5:13 p.m.
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simon--yes the school board is still in closed session at this moment. It is my understanding that they are discussing Janesville lay offs, and hopefully when they are out of session we will all have an idea of the number of possible lay offs. I would keep watching for updates on this site.
Feb 25, 2011 at 4:26 p.m.
Feb 25, 2011 at 2:38 p.m.
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I heard there is a special school board meeting today at 3 p.m.?
Feb 25, 2011 at 2:27 p.m.
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@Cass. Thanks for the clarification regarding your earlier post. BUT, do you honestly believe that some of the kids who go to school and have limited to zero parental involvement in their lives should go out and attempt to fund-raise $2000 for their share? Kindergardeners even? Truly you cannot believe that would really work. If you really do believe that, then I take pity on you, for you are truly ignorant.
Feb 25, 2011 at 1:40 p.m.
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To Cass and everyone else who suggests charging tuition or higher "fees", please see this DPI page:
http://dpi.wi.gov/sfs/fees.html
The Wisconsin Constitution, Art X, Sec. 3 states:
"The legislature shall provide by law for the establishment of district schools ... such schools shall be free and without charge for tuition to all children between the ages of 4 and 20 years..."
Category I - Fees are not permissible for any student in the school district for the following:
1. Tuition/instruction costs
2. Teacher salaries or benefits
3. Buildings, maintenance
4. Teaching apparatus - such as computer hardware and software, microfilm readers, projectors, industrial arts equipment (presses, saws, etc.) home economic equipment (stove, sewing machine, etc.), art equipment (kilns, dark room, etc.)
5. Course fees for any course which is either required for graduation or given credit towards graduation, or aided under 121.14.
6. Transportation as required by 121.54(8).
There is a reason why it's called a "free and public education". It is for the good of society that ALL students receive a quality education.
Feb 25, 2011 at 1:36 p.m.
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@Cass. Some parents could afford $2000 per year in student fees. I would imagine that most could not. How would you, could you, explain to one of those kids, sorry Johnny, but your family just doesn't have enough money to allow you an education. You say in one of your earlier posts that only children under 16 should be able to get government aid- just as long as it is not educational aid? How exactly do you propose any of these families have an opportunity for education? Furthermore, how does denial of education to the poor help us in the future? Or are you posing as a rich industrialist looking to cash in on future cheap labor?
Feb 25, 2011 at 1:02 p.m.
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The bill can not dissolve their current contract; they have it until 2013, unless they vote to open the contract with the School Board.
packersfan - this has nothing to do with the protesting, and everything to do with the 900 million walker is cutting from schools, which was in his budget before this bill mess!!
Feb 25, 2011 at 12:53 p.m.
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The contract is between the teachers union and the school district. How can this Bill dissolve the contract? Can someone please explain?
Feb 25, 2011 at 12:29 p.m.
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I thought this bill was supposed to save and create jobs? Liar. Someone try and tell me he campaigned on this? Please tell me he is not a liar.
Feb 25, 2011 at 12:14 p.m.
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To all the the Janesville schoolteachers who took off last Friday to protest in Madison, was it worth it? Now you might lose your jobs.
Feb 25, 2011 at 12:13 p.m.
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My children go to Janesville schools and do not have 2000 dollar christmas, wear either hand me downs brought at garage sales, or $4.99 pants at the 75% off sales in our stores, do not go to movies, we buy them at the used stores for .99 cents, get to go to MacDonald's 2-3 times per year, and are honor roll students at school and feel rich that they are loved and have a decent home to live in. They love their teachers, love their schools. They are my grandchildren I am raising on my own on fixed income and part-time work when I am well enough to do it.
Feb 25, 2011 at 10:53 a.m.
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I am not a teacher in the district, but I would want to know ASAP if my job was on the cut list. I'd start looking for something else and plan to get on with my life, and I would NOT look to the teaching profession. If I was young enough and able to do so, I'd go back for training in some other field. I don't know what these people are going to do, but I wish them the best of luck.
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