D118 pink slips go out

Mar 9, 2010 — Commercial-News

Mike Helenthal

Mar. 9, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- DANVILLE -- "Pink-slip" notification was sent to Danville District 118 teachers today in anticipation of Wednesday's school board vote to enact the administration's reduction-in-force plan.

The notices for the first time specifically identify which of 82 teachers and administrators will be cut and become active upon board approval. About half the positions would come with the elimination of state-funded programs, the other half from consolidating and increasing some classroom sizes.

"If the board upholds the recommendation, that will be the 60-day notice," said Superintendent Mark Denman. The current contract with Danville Education Association ends with the fiscal year July 1.

Wednesday's 6:30 p.m. meeting inside the Jackson Street administration building also will include a public hearing allowing citizens or teachers to voice concerns about the plan or to offer other options. The reduction in force plan trims about 10 percent each in teaching and administration positions.

Denman said this week's notices were prepared using "bumping" rules allowing more senior teachers to change positions with less experienced ones if their jobs are on the cut list.

"There's still the hearing and there could be changes at any time," said School Board President Bill Dobbles, noting a school board decision Wednesday would not necessarily be the final action taken on next year's staffing.

He said there is still hope that the anticipated state budget would include enough program funding to call back at least some staff -- and even if there's not, the district would be working on ways to at least offer limited preschool and other current state-funded programming.

"I'm looking at the pre-school program specifically and I would hate to see it eliminated, even if there's no funding from the state," he said. "We would take a serious look to see if we can at least have a smaller program."

He said non-state funded position cuts could be reconsidered as well if they were balanced against funding solutions.

"We've been in discussions with the Danville Education Association and hopefully we can try and work on ways to limit the number of staff (eliminated)," he said. "If anything does happen, we can make adjustments. There might be some suggestions that come up from the meeting that we haven't thought of."

He said the idea had been floated to the union of reducing salaries and benefits in exchange for number of positions, but the union had not responded to this point in negotiations.

Union officials have asked the administration to dip into its $19 reserve fund for one year with the hopes of finding better financial footing the next.

"Let's just try to get through this one year and maintain as much as we can maintain," said DEA President Robin Twidwell following the announcement of the administration's cost-cutting plan. She could not be reached for comment Monday.

The union says making the cuts to non-grant positions could increase class size by 33 percent in some classrooms and harm instruction.

Administration officials say they must protect the reserve fund because it's been used as a hedge against late state payments -- which includes such mandated costs as transportation.

"If we don't get that money from the state, we eat it," Denman said of transportation costs. "We're not a for-profit business. If we can offer small classes and the budget is in the black, we will do it. I don't think we can spend more than we take in."

Denman said half of the reserve could be earmarked for fund-transfer purposes by the end of the school year due to late payments, which now total $2.4 million

State positions under the administration's reduction plan makeup some $3.3 in local programming. Elimination of non-state funded positions would save the district around $2 million annually, not including travel and textbook expense reductions expected to save another $300,000 next year.

Officials say the non-grant position cutbacks are necessary due to a variety of declining funding sources, including a dwindling tax base and lower interest income tied to the general economy.

The district also faces a growing checklist of critical repairs identified with the district's aging buildings that need immediate attention.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0433-42721278