Lewisville ISD Mulls Another Round of Cuts

[admin]

On Monday night, Lewisville ISD trustees will discuss plans for another round of employee cuts, using voluntary resignation incentives like the previous school year: http://www.whosplayin.com/xoops/modules ... oryid=2501

[Uther]

You know who usually take these voluntary resignation incentives? Teachers that were going to leave (retire) in a year or so anyway, or those who are so good they know they will easily get another job at another School District. Neither of those actually improve the remaining pool of teacher talent.

[Richard]

You know who usually take these voluntary resignation incentives? Teachers that were going to leave (retire) in a year or so anyway, or those who are so good they know they will easily get another job at another School District. Neither of those actually improve the remaining pool of teacher talent.

I agree with you that many who take the incentive were probably going to retire in the near future anyway, but you are way off on thinking that there are teachers so good that they will take the incentive and get a job at another School District. If that were possible I would have my wife do it. My wife is one of the absolute best teachers out there. We used to live in Flower Mound and she teaches at a school in Flower Mound. We now live in Corinth. She would like to teach at a school closer to us, but nearby districts arent hiring and if they are hiring, the only jobs available are at the very low income schools. She has already put in plenty of time at schools like that and that doesn't appeal. Also, if you do change school districts, you are now the low man because years in the district is the senoirity marker if the district has to layoff employees. So you may have a job right now, but in this environment, you could lose it next year.

[scvsop]

Also, if you do change school districts, you are now the low man because years in the district is the senoirity marker if the district has to layoff employees. So you may have a job right now, but in this environment, you could lose it next year.

Not necessarily, Find your District's Board Policy DFF (Local). It will lay out how the District has to handle a RIF. For example, here is an excerpt from Lewisville ISD, Board Policy DFF (Local)

The Superintendent shall recommend to the Board the discharge or nonrenewal of employees within the affected employment area(s) because of a reduction in force, based on the following criteria. These criteria are listed in order of importance; the Superintendent shall apply them sequentially to the extent necessary to identify the employees who least satisfy the criteria and therefore are subject to the reduction in force, i.e., if all necessary reductions can be accomplished by applying the operational necessity criterion, it is not necessary to apply the certification criterion, etc.
1. Operational Necessity: Importance to school’s operation as determined by the Superintendent.
2. Certification: Appropriate certification, endorsement, and/or highly qualified status for current or projected assignment.
3. Performance: Effectiveness as reflected by appraisal records and other written evaluative information.
If the Superintendent in his or her discretion decides that the ostensible performance differences between two or more reductionin-force prospects are too insubstantial to rely upon, he or she may proceed to apply criterion 4 and, thereafter and to the extent needed, criterion 5.
4. Seniority: Length of service in the District, as measured from the employee’s most recent date of hire.
5. Professional Background: Professional education and work experience related to the current assignment.

[Richard]

Not necessarily, Find your District's Board Policy DFF (Local). It will lay out how the District has to handle a RIF. For example, here is an excerpt from Lewisville ISD, Board Policy DFF (Local)

The Superintendent shall recommend to the Board the discharge or nonrenewal of employees within the affected employment area(s) because of a reduction in force, based on the following criteria. These criteria are listed in order of importance; the Superintendent shall apply them sequentially to the extent necessary to identify the employees who least satisfy the criteria and therefore are subject to the reduction in force, i.e., if all necessary reductions can be accomplished by applying the operational necessity criterion, it is not necessary to apply the certification criterion, etc.
1. Operational Necessity: Importance to school’s operation as determined by the Superintendent.
2. Certification: Appropriate certification, endorsement, and/or highly qualified status for current or projected assignment.
3. Performance: Effectiveness as reflected by appraisal records and other written evaluative information.
If the Superintendent in his or her discretion decides that the ostensible performance differences between two or more reductionin-force prospects are too insubstantial to rely upon, he or she may proceed to apply criterion 4 and, thereafter and to the extent needed, criterion 5.
4. Seniority: Length of service in the District, as measured from the employee’s most recent date of hire.
5. Professional Background: Professional education and work experience related to the current assignment.

You're right in one aspect, but incorrect in another. I'll be more specific in that I'm talking about elementary school teachers.

For 1. Operational Necessity. Specials teachers and teachers that are part of special programs would worry about this. They are a very small part of the total population. The normal teacher is always going to be necessary unless some drastic changes are made to how school education is structured.

For 2. Certification. Certification requirements are communicated very much to teachers. The teachers either flat don't care or are being obstinate if they don't heed the reccomendations to get another certification.

For 3. Performance. For someone to be let go because of performance in schools ahead of seniority means that they are a very substandard employee that has been given several warnings.

So, technically seniority is #4 on the list, but it is normally the biggest deciding factor if layoffs are coming. The criteria listed prior to seniority wouldn't affect very many teachers, so it would quickly get to item 4.

[JKTex]

It's all bunk. They need to do what any business should be able to do, shake the dead wood; I'm wel aware of plenty of it in the ranks in LISD school, even the schools considered the better of the best performing. Stack rank and cut the bottom. It's easy, cut and dry and leaves them with the best of the best and able to perform better. Instead they usually get stuck with the higher paid slugs dragging the school down.

Thanks a lot to the wonderful benefits (shaft) unions provide.