Union Estimates 19,000 Teacher Layoff Slips So Far In California

SAN BRUNO, Calif. — School districts in California have issued nearly 19,000 layoff notices so far to teachers amid uncertainty over the state budget, the California Teachers Association estimated Tuesday.

The union announced its estimate of preliminary notices on the day school districts must let employees know they could lose their jobs.

Some districts had yet to fully report how many warnings had been distributed as they prepare for worst-case budget scenarios. The union said it expects to have a final count Friday.

Its early estimate includes almost 500 school employees in San Francisco, 540 in Oakland, nearly 900 in San Diego, and about 5,000 educators in Los Angeles.

The situation is not unique to California. School districts throughout the country are warning of cutbacks involving teacher and other employees, as state legislatures seek to close massive budget shortfalls by cutting education spending.

Not all of the estimated layoffs will be carried out in California.

Schools have until May 15 to issue final layoff notices. Two years ago, districts handed out layoff notices to a record 26,500 teachers, but only 60 percent of them ended up losing their jobs.

Meanwhile, teachers and parents rallied around the state Tuesday to drum up support for Gov. Jerry Brown's budget proposal.

Brown's plan for closing the state's nearly $27 billion budget deficit seeks to maintain current K-12 spending levels by asking voters to extend temporary increases in the sales, personal income and vehicle taxes for five years.

But so far the governor has not secured enough Republican support to hold a special tax election.

Without the tax extensions, school districts would face another round of deep budget cuts that education officials warn would prompt widespread layoffs and campus closures.

In Union City, between San Jose and Oakland, kindergarten teacher Quyen Tran was one of about 60 school employees in her small school district to get a layoff notice. She started teaching in New Haven Unified School District in 2006.

Quyen, 30, said she was laid off last spring but hired in August right before the school year began. She is expecting her first child in June.

"It's very stressful," she said during a news conference, "just not knowing where I'm going to be next year or how secure my income will be."

Quyen, however, said she's more worried about the impact of state budget cuts on her students.

"With all these layoffs of teachers, they will have no choice but to stuff more kids into these classrooms," she said. "They're going to be cheated out of their education just because there are not going to be enough teachers around."

Comments

[shooter 586]

08:15 PM on 05/05/2011

Just cut pay and you won't have to worry about class sizes

[econ1]

12:11 PM on 04/26/2011

California ($63640), Connecticut ($61039) and New Jersey ($59730) at the top of the list in teacher salaries, but it isn't so much the pay as it is the work rules. The teachers are generally great, but when our son was in school there was a teacher everyone knew was horrible and worked to avoid as soon as their child was in school...the administration worked for three years (at some incredible cost) to fire her and finally did...but three more classes of kids went through her class. I came to realize it is a teacher's union....not a student union.

[TallThinMan]

02:36 AM on 03/26/2011

OMG some of the comments on here wow..."the Republicans want to destroy the middle class" "the Republicans are stripping the middle class of money" yada yada.....
our public school system is broken because of massive federal subsidies and not enough quality education to go around..it doesnt help that many teachers dont do their job and TEACH!
To say that the GOP has an evil little black book of those in the middle class they wish to destroy is laughable.

[Gem Mayers]

05:40 PM on 03/18/2011

..I understand teachers aren't paid well, at least when they start out - I work for a charter school as an administrator and make the starting salary of teachers in the nearby district, and that's with 8 yrs experience and a masters. So I know teachers are payed diddly squat. But to say they can't afford a small pay cut and would rather watch fellow teachers, many the sole earners of their family, lose their job with little to no hope of another job. devastating.

I don't exactly support merit based lay offs/ job security, but seniority has got to go. I have been pink slipped 3 times and as luck would have it, each time I was one of the few to "actually" be let go. Twice I was one of a few let go, and another time there was a grant for two certain positions and I got one, the other one went to someone who had worked that position for three years already. Then she decided to get a job elsewhere. The grant money came in short the following yr and only 1 position could be afforded. So they decided to pink slip me and re-hire the other gal since she had seniority. I now have difficulty applying for jobs because my resume looks questionable, as I had three jobs in three year's time. And I know I am not the only one in my predicament. (my blog http://3rseduc.blogspot.com)

[Gem Mayers]

05:38 PM on 03/18/2011

I do wish instead of having some 30+ categorical funds, schools could have one general fund. That way, instead of building a new stadium and buying new textbooks- meanwhile pink slipping 30 teachers, they could hold off on the stadium and books and keep 30 teachers. The general public often decries exorbitant spending on things such as new stadiums, when teachers are being fired; they don't know the money all comes from different sources and is non-transferable. However, charter schools do generally only have a general fund with which all funding is sourced; the negative being they can't go in the negative budget-wise.

Our economy sucks, and while increasing taxes would save jobs and education, fat chance it will be passed. With unemployment hovering near 20% in my part of CA alone, people can't afford another tax, sad as it is.

I had suggested last year, to a group of teachers in a district with many proposed lay offs (remember most are rescinded) that perhaps they take a 3-5% pay cut to save jobs, so that class size would remain the same and all pink-slipped teachers would have a job and could feed their families. I was appalled by their response- they said to fire the probationary (non-tenured newbie) teachers because no way would they allow a pay cut...(see my next post)

[MiamiMama]

06:47 PM on 03/17/2011

We need to lay off all these teachers. Why do we want to be number one in the world in education? The Republicans are stripping the middle class of their money. They have depleted our bank accounts. There is no need for any advanced degrees anymore. We need jobs that pay $6.00 an hour and no benefits. That is what corporations want. Didn't you get the memo? After all, it is the teachers that caused the financial mess our country is in. We also need to get involved in the middle east mess. Then we can make more planes and tanks and bullets. Pretty soon everyone will be jobless. Then the Republican Party can finish off the job. In two to four years every thing will be laying in ruins and privatized. They will get what they wanted for decades. We will all bow to the Koch Brothers statues located in every city across America. If we riot, maybe Afghanistan will send troops to help us. I sure hope so!

[dmessy]

01:07 AM on 03/18/2011

wow -- what a real downer of a post. the reality is that because there is no real incentive for schools to do better -- they don't bother. The enterpreur would understand that they could hire better teachers, charge money and have parents pay them for success. Now before you say -- we shouldn't be making a profit off of education -- I'm not saying we should go privatize all the schools -- I'm simply point out that there is no incentive to do better. That's not the fault of the GOP.

[MiamiMama]

10:51 AM on 03/18/2011

I can only speak for the schools I have taught in and it was not that way there at all. In every school there were a few teachers that I thought should not be teaching. That falls on the administrator to do the observations and paperwork to get rid of them. Too much work so they don't do it. That is their job so they are basically negligent. Now think back on this thought. Who prepares a student to be a teacher, the college. If you are going into nursing, you must pass tests each semester called exit exams. You are constantly under observation. Then when you are done, you take a licensing test. Once you start a job, you have a mentor before you are on your own. You are constantly being trained at work. Even this is not a full proof system, I'm sure. Teachers take many classes that in no way prepare them for the classroom. If they are a total flop but get passing grades, the graduate. Most states have licensing tests now, they didn't have them when I went into teaching. Once they start the job, most have no support. Many teach in areas they have no certification because of shortages. Budget cuts have impeded any kind of support system within the school because everything is bare bones budgets. There are two groups that really know how good a teacher performs, students and parents. No one ever asks them. Watch for the mass exodus!

[MiamiMama]

12:16 PM on 03/18/2011

Most of my post was extreme sarcasm. However, it is their plan.

[Gem Mayers]

05:46 PM on 03/18/2011

our education follows the Prussian model. Education pioneer Elwoood Cubberley said, "Our city schools will soon be forced to give up the exceedingly democratic idea that all are equal, and that our society is devoid of classes, as a few cities have already in large part done, and to be-

gin a specialization of educational effort along many new lines in an attempt better to adapt the school to the needs of these many classes in the city life." and "The overeducated man is scarcely possible if an education adapted to his needs and station in life is given him." as seen in my blog http://3rseduc.blogspot.com Our educational problems are bi-partisan as well.

[hamsteronwheel]

11:06 AM on 03/17/2011

3/16/11

“In the United States today, the richest 1 percent owns 34 percent of our nation’s wealth -- that’s more than the entire bottom 90 percent, who own just 29 percent of the country’s wealth,” she said during her prepared remarks at a press conference. “And the top one-hundredth of 1 percent now makes an average of $27 million per household per year. The average income for the bottom 90 percent of Americans? $31,244."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/16/jan-schakowsky-income-tax_n_836624.html

[slowtono]

05:43 PM on 03/17/2011

And for teachers it is somewhere in the $40,000. 90% paying $40,000 though they earn about $31,000. Did you do the math?

[sesmadeeasy]

08:18 PM on 03/16/2011

Teachers have to start thinking about how they can start their own education businesses and take care of themselves. These layoffs are happening everywhere.

[Shana Donohue]

07:25 AM on 03/17/2011

I like that you wrote "business" because that's what it is.

No one talks about the cost to develop, print, administer, grade, re-develop, re-print, re-administer and re-grade the NCLB state exams. It's a billion dollar industry. It's where the education money is going.

If you think I'm crazy, take three second to imagine this: imagine bringing your USB drive to Staples to print your resume, cover letter and three letters of recommendation. You'd need to buy paper and pay for each copy. Now imagine being paid to write and edit your resume. Now scale up your resume job to one involving millions of sheets of paper. Add in the cost to pay people to write what's on those pieces of paper and then to grade what comes back. Add in more $$ for re-development, re-printing, re-admistering and re-grading.

[Gem Mayers]

05:52 PM on 03/18/2011

ETS educational testing....service, I think, makes most NCLB exams. A non-profit company, made 157 million in 1998 (newset figure I could find, pre-NCLB) Just from college entrance exams alone. It is all about $ http://3rseduc.blogspot.com

[Max Shaw]

03:58 PM on 03/16/2011

"But so far the governor has not secured enough Republican support to hold a special tax election..."

Of course it hasn't. The Republican motto has long been 'Fu** you. Fu** your kids. Fu** your family.' Clearly the rest of the state is on board because they know how important our children, and their education is--and how important the teachers are. There is no reason for the GOP to be so callous about the current state of affairs, other than they hope if they can prevent people from getting education than they'll be no one smart enough to disagree with them.

[mikey09]

09:15 AM on 03/17/2011

My thought was...what will be different in 5 years? Is this just a kick the can down the road approach?

[AJH]

10:44 PM on 03/18/2011

and if they keep holding out they'll be holding the bag on 7 bllion in education cuts, nearly 2 billion in infrastructure cuts and another what 5 billion in everyday human suffering cuts....

Personally they are crazy to make that decision vs letting the voters but hey political suicide is fun.

Your child is in a class with 40+ students because your republican legislators pledge to an out of state anti tax washington DC lobbyist was more important than their district and your kids.

We just released 30K inmates because your legislators anti tax pledge was....

They didn't think you deserved to vote to pay a little more to prevent this their anti tax pledge to a washinton DC lobbyist....

Why else do you think burton started rolling norquist out into the california political consciousness today.

[mbo2]

02:43 PM on 03/16/2011

Hey, you union 'heads' - you got the guy you wanted elected to Governor. You got the legislature lcoked up.

Just jack up the state taxes. Real high, real, real, real high!!!!


ha ha ha ha ha ha

[Butquestioning]

03:32 PM on 03/16/2011

To survive after Republicans have been in office, that is what needs to be done...Or we can do as the republicans have been working to do for the past 30+ years and just close down everything and give it to big business to control...Privatize schools, police, fire protection, ambulance service, roads, sanitation and water districts and when the businesses have increased the fees and pulled all the money out of the cities and towns, then they will turn them back over to the states to start everything all over again.

It's about the final shift of wealth to the wealthy...and the joke is on you too if you are not one of the billionaires that will be the only ones to benefit from this.

[mbo2]

03:39 PM on 03/16/2011

Well, gee, I don't live in California, and my state has not decided to pay for anything and everything under the sun, that anyone and their illegal kin might want to have foisted onto the taxpayers.

Like I said, you folks out in Cali have plenty of the "wealthy types" you can go after, so feel free.

heh heh

[Daly]

09:58 PM on 03/16/2011

you are not saying that you think Arnie performed better or that we should have put education on ebay?

[DelawareBob]

02:22 PM on 03/16/2011

If you lay off the teachers, who will teach the illegal alien children?

[mbo2]

02:56 PM on 03/16/2011

you'll know things are bad when the illegals start going back to Mexico on their own

[historyrepeatsitself]

07:54 PM on 03/16/2011

Gee, I wish I could be r@cist, too.

[AlonzoQuijana]

01:51 PM on 03/16/2011

Bob Chanin, general Counsel of the National Education Association, the country's largest teachers union at a 2009 NEA convention:

"Despite what some among us would like to believe it is not because of our creative ideas; it is not because of the merit of our positions; it is not because we care about children; and it is not because we have a vision of a great public school for every child. The NEA and its affiliates are effective advocates because we have power. And we have power because there are more than 3.2 million people who are willing to pay us hundreds of million of dollars in dues each year because they believe that we are the unions that can most effectively represent them; the union that can protect their rights and advance their interests as education employees."

It's all about power. It's not about the kids.

[historyrepeatsitself]

07:55 PM on 03/16/2011

I'm an NEA member and it's always about my students, so I don't care what union rep you quote.

[MiamiMama]

06:49 PM on 03/17/2011

Why don't you put up the entire speech so you see it in the proper context instead of part of it that changes the meaning? You know this is not what he meant. This is a Fox tactic.

[Yankee Partisan]

01:48 PM on 03/16/2011

You people amaze me! Instead of taxing the "earners," try ending your ridiculous socialist entitlement programs to millions of illegal aliens and the citizen-sponges that use state social services as a way of life. End involvement of your corrupt unions in the public sector! You ultra-left wing goofballs only have yourselves to blame for the situation you're in. You "academics" are the worst of all; truly delusional. It's really too bad, California used to be a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't step foot in your communist, quasi Latin-American state now. Enjoy your self-inflicted poverty and status as a third-world state. *Laughing at the comrades in Kaliforina!*

[historyrepeatsitself]

07:57 PM on 03/16/2011

Good, stay away, we're down to about 1/3 Republicans and even they view the baggers as the laughingstock they are.

[Yankee Partisan]

05:02 PM on 03/17/2011

...and things just keep getting better for Kalifornia, huh?

- California ranks next to last in states where the adult population has at least a high school education, according to a report released by the California Faculty Association at Cal State Los Angeles. Ranking 49th out of 50 states is an indication of the state’s deteriorating educational status in recent decades, according to “California at the Edge of a Cliff,” by Thomas G. Mortenson.

[sdmcmla]

12:58 AM on 03/17/2011

If the racist losers really will stay out of California (the 6th largest economy in the world), then we will know that there is a God after all.,

[Yankee Partisan]

04:50 PM on 03/17/2011

You won't be the 6th largest economy for long comrade. :) Muahaha

Internet sales giant Overstock.com to cut ties with California

California’s evolving budget crisis continues to meet headwinds with major Internet companies who are lining up to flee the state if Democratic Governor Jerry Brown signs new tax increase legislation into law.

Overstock.com will join Amazon.com in pulling all affiliate sellers from the state if lawmakers insist on additional taxes. A letter from Overstock.com to Board of Equalization Member Senator George Runner said it will terminate its California affiliates should pending affiliate tax legislation become law.

"This issue is much, much bigger than one company," said Runner. "A law requiring out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax from California consumers could force thousands of online retailers to terminate their relationships with California-based affiliate businesses. This hurts California jobs and revenues."

© Copyright 2011 Kimberly Dvorak All Rights Reserved.

[mexicanlou]

01:45 PM on 03/16/2011

This Saturday: Support education funding!
March 19 International Day of Action
STOP THE WARS, FUND PEOPLE'S NEEDS
Los Angeles Mass March & Rally
Saturday, March 19, 12 noon
Gather @ Hollywood & Vine, Los Angeles CA 90028

for more info
http://www.answercoalition.org/la/index.html

[mbo2]

02:44 PM on 03/16/2011

Gee, is California at war?

hmmmmm

cuz I kinda thought these teachers are paid by the cities they work in, duh.

[sdmcmla]

01:00 AM on 03/17/2011

Take a hint.  When you don't have a clue what you are talking about, it's a good idea to keep your trap shut. 

[Steve1976]

01:45 PM on 03/16/2011

The coming cuts in California are going to make what happened in Wisconsin look like a spending spree.