Deficit Planning

At last Wednesday night’s Board meeting the State and County offices of Education gave presentations about the budget deficit and the scenarios that could play out if nothing was done to fill it.  We heard quite a bit of blame being handed down with most of it being placed on “them” for not funding education.  We all agree that the funding structure for our schools could use a major overhaul.  The part that was left out is that our District started this year with a deficit.  We have been deficit spending for different reasons for years.  Our bargaining unit gave up almost $8 million this year alone to help the District balance our budget.  Our members voluntarily give back $95.00 a paycheck to help balance the budget for the last two years.  Now the problem is so bad that the County Office of Education is threatening us.  They say that if the District does not do something immediately to fill the budget hole the district will run out of money in March and be unable to make payroll. Yet, they still have continued to hire consultants, chefs and have given raises to upper level management. When given the opportunity to make decisions (like close and consolidate schools) that would help stabilize the deficit they refused to take any action.  Our fear is that they are going to want more money from their employees to help support deficit spending.  We have already heard that our benefits are too good and we make too much money, this is the modern equivalent of “let them eat cake” from a Board and Superintendent that seem unaware of the problem.  We have asked our board members for their plans to help shrink the deficit.  We heard a call from board President Rodriquez to stop the flow of money to consultants that went unanswered from the Superintendent and the other Board members.  We will keep you informed on this ongoing issue.

Teach for America

The Superintendent and Mayor Kevin Johnson are lobbying our Board members to bring Teach for America to the District. Teach for America brings new college graduates from outside of the education field and trains them (for 5 whole weeks) to teach in areas of the country that have difficulty recruiting teachers.  Sacramento is not facing a shortage of qualified teachers; in fact the district has laid off over 650 of them in the last three years.  This is little more than a plan to privatize our jobs and bust the Union. The Board voted against the Superintendents plan to bring Teach for America to the District in the 2010-11 school year.  We hope the Board will stand up for quality trained teachers and stop the plans of the Superintendent and Mayor Johnson.

What can you do?

Two things:

1) Make a list of all the wasteful spending at your school and send it to scta@saccityta.com. (the address in the last email was incorrect)

2) Contact board members (contact info is listed below) and let them know you want them to stop the Superintendent and Mayor Johnsons plans to balance the budget on the backs of Teachers.

SCUSD School Board

• Ellyne Bell – ellynebell@yahoo.com – 916-233-9574

• Patrick Kennedy – Patrick@patrickkennedylaw.com – 916-261-1942

• Darrell Woo – Darrel-woo@sac-city.k12.ca.us – 916-201-3192

• Jeff Cuneo – jeff4schoolbaord@gmail.com – 916-201-0784

• Donald Terry – Donaldterry4schoolboard@yahoo.com – 530-902-2518

• Gustavo Arroyo – gustavoarroyo1@gmail.com – 916-803-6981

• Diana Rodriquez – Dianna4scusd@yahoo.com – 916-752-3686

• Jonathan Raymond – superintendent@scusd.edu – 916-643-9000