Although notices of possible layoffs have been delivered to
Hollister School District teachers and counselors, the waiting
isn’t over.
Although notices of possible layoffs have been delivered to Hollister School District teachers and counselors, the waiting isn’t over.
School districts across the state gave certificated employees notices by March 15 and, though most districts were overestimating the number of employees facing layoffs, there still is no word from the state Legislature about the education budget for the next fiscal year. Most school administrators are bracing for the possibility of developing and passing their 2003-04 budget before legislators pass the state budget.
The Hollister School District originally anticipated giving notices of possible layoffs to about 30 teachers, but gave 47. Director of human resources Bill Jordan said the district intentionally “over-noticed” to be more cautious.
“Our lawyer told us it was easier to notice and call back than to underestimate,” Jordan said.
The notices were given Friday, and Jordan and Superintendent Judith Barranti made themselves available for individual teachers who had questions or concerns, Jordan said.
There are almost 300 certificated employees – teachers and counselors – in the district.
Jordan said he’s been “pink-slipped” twice and knows what it feels like.
The next step is to sit down with school principals and develop worst-case scenarios about the budget, Jordan said.
Also, districts have been determining whether to renew contracts of probationary teachers (“non-reelects”) – something it does every year by March 15. The HSD did not renew four probationary teachers’ contracts – a high number, according to Jordan.
The Aromas-San Juan Unified School District had originally planned to give notices of possible layoffs to 15.2 full-time-equivalent certificated employees. The district actually gave 29 notices.
Although the district was determining who gets notices based on time spent in the district, teachers in certain subject areas are in short supply and can’t be spared. These include bilingual and special education teachers.
“We had to notify bilingual and special ed teachers (in addition to the original 15.2),” said Jackie Munoz, ASJUSD superintendent.
The numbers are inflated to be “safe,” Munoz said.
The next important deadline for the district is April 15 when teachers have the opportunity to speak to an administrative judge from Oakland. Also, teachers coming back to the district from leaves of absence and teachers planning to take advantage of the district’s supplemental retirement package have to give notification by April 15, Munoz said. The picture will become clearer after that date, she said.
There are about 85 certificated employees in the ASJUSD.
Because of a resignation, the district did not have to give out any notices to non-reelect employees, Munoz said.
The San Benito High School District is in the best shape of the county’s larger districts and gave two notices of layoff – to its full-time substitute teacher and to the on-site opportunity school teacher. The district has over 140 certificated employees.
The district did have to hand out six notices to non-reelects, according to a source at the school who asked to remain anonymous. That number is low for SBHS, the source said.
Other school districts in the state are not faring as well as those in San Benito County.
The Santa Maria-Bonita School District in Santa Maria sent preliminary notices to 59 teachers and all certificated administrators, except for the superintendent and the district’s 16 school principals.
The Oakland School District in Oakland gave notices to 1,000 employees, mostly teachers.
