Teacher Layoffs

[brant]

Naperville Sun 3/12

145 D204 teachers to be cut; class sizes to grow
Officials say class sizes to increase

Class sizes in Indian Prairie District 204 are expected to increase next year as a result of 145 teachers being laid off because of a lack of state funding.
In a message to the District 204 community Thursday afternoon, Superintendent Kathy Birkett outlined what the state budget cuts will mean for students and employees.
"With 80 percent of our budget in staffing expenses, budget cuts will impact our teaching staff. Although difficult to think about in this economy, we must reduce staff. In order to achieve a savings, we must look at class sizes across the district," Birkett wrote.
By releasing 145 non-tenured teachers, the district will be reducing the number of teaching positions by 6.5 percent. That means class sizes will increase. At the elementary level, the proposal calls for increasing the maximum class size in second through fifth grades by two from 29 to 31. At the secondary level, the average class size will increase by two, she said.
"We already receive and spend 20 percent less per student than our peers, so cutting more is difficult," board President Curt Bradshaw said. "However, we owe it to our taxpayers to live within our means just as they are striving to do."
The district also plans to cut 6 percent of building level administrators and 14.4 percent of central office staff. Also proposed is a pay freeze for all administrators and cutting all administrators' budgets.
Other cost-cutting measures include:
• Audit: a dependent eligibility insurance audit and claims audit, which is expected to provide a savings of $1 million. The audit was the recommendation of the Citizens Financial Advisory Committee.
• Fees: proposed is a small increase in registration and technology fees. The district is also looking at adding or increasing extracurricular fees to save some programs that would otherwise need to be eliminated.
• Implementation of a four-day work week this summer.
• Delays: new projects in building maintenance and technology will be delayed.
"Thankfully our schools are relatively young and we are not facing major structural needs, but work to maintain the structural integrity of our schools cannot be delayed indefinitely," Birkett wrote. "We are also planning to delay some technology projects that would place new equipment in our schools. Delaying the technology refresh cycle limits student learning as they will be using older equipment and software."
Earlier this year the district closed a $9.2 million deficit in the 2011 budget through a variety of means. Those cuts included elimination of some positions, consolidation of classes and delaying some expenditures.
"We have prioritized instruction and have tried to examine all areas against the criteria of minimal impact to students. However, budget cuts of this magnitude are difficult," Birkett wrote. "When you are forced to trim $21.4 million from your budget in a single year, it becomes impossible to not have an impact on our students."
Bradshaw said the cuts are necessary to live within the budget.

"We don't find any part of this process enjoyable," Bradshaw said. "The governor dealt us a bad hand, and our only choice is to play with what we are given."
The board of education is expected to hear a presentation on the budget at its March 22 meeting. In addition, the district has created a section on its Web site for budget information and updates. Budget information can be found at ipsdweb.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/Budget.

[brant]

District 204 may eliminate 145 teachers, 19 administrators
By Justin Kmitch | Daily Herald Staff

• New budget proposal makes Dist. 204 board members uneasy [3/11/10]
Indian Prairie Unit District 204 may eliminate as many as 145 nontenured teachers and 19 administrators to offset projected budget deficits, officials said Thursday.
The tentative plan, which still requires school board approval, aims to slice an additional $12.2 million from next year's projected $288 million budget on top of the $9.2 million the district already has cut.
Superintendent Kathryn Birkett said administrators prepared the recommendations after setting priorities for instruction and trying to examine all expenses against a criteria of limiting the direct impact on students as much as possible.
The plan to be presented to the school board on March 22 calls for:
• eliminating 13.5 central office staff positions (or 14.4 percent) and 5.5 positions (or 6 percent) of building-level administrators;
• releasing 145 nontenured teachers (6.5 percent of the entire teaching staff);
• increasing average class size by two students from second grade through high school;
• increasing registration fees by $5 and technology fees by $10;
• implementing a pay freeze for all administrators and reducing their budgets;
• creating a four-day summer workweek for administrators;
• implementing closer reviews of insurance claims, expected to save about $1 million;
• and delaying any new building maintenance and technology projects.
Birkett said the proposals won't offset all of the projected deficit, but "we're working to get as close to $12.2 million as we can."
"Obviously we're also currently in negotiations with the teachers' association as well as our classified association so there are a lot of things that feed into what we'll do from this point forward," she said.
Birkett said the release of the plan in advance of the March 22 meeting is not an attempt to send a message to the two unions.
"This is not gamesmanship. This is reality. This is what we're dealing with right now," Birkett said. "We try to be very fair to our staff. I refer all the time to our District 204 family and this is a painful time for our school district. We need to be fair to people. These are people and these are people that have done a fine job here in the district."

Aside from increases in class size and teacher cuts, Birkett said every decision was consciously made to try to avoid affecting the classroom.
She did not specify what maintenance and technology projects may be put on hold.
"Any specific projects will be laid out in the plan on (March 22) but we recognize that things have to slow down and not happen as quickly and some projects will wait," she said. "Thankfully our schools are relatively young and we are not facing major structural needs, but work to maintain the structural integrity of our schools cannot be delayed indefinitely."
None of the projects will affect completion of the new Metea Valley High School scheduled for January 2011.
"There are separate funds that were approved in the referendum for the high school that are very different than funds that we're currently dealing with on a districtwide basis," she said.
Parents also will notice some changes in district fees. Administrators are proposing a $5 increase in registration and $10 increase in technology fees. They also are looking at adding or increasing extracurricular fees to save some programs that otherwise would be eliminated.
Class sizes would be increased by two students each at almost every grade level. In elementary schools, the proposal calls for increasing the maximum class size in second through fifth grades from 29 to 31. At the secondary level, the average class size also will increase by two.
"We have had worse class sizes in the district and we believe that class size is an easy thing for us to bring back depending on where the state lands (in terms of funding)," Birkett said. "But we feel we are well positioned now to deal with whatever the state brings us and we hope it all plays out to be much better."
The next budget update will be presented at the March 22 school board meeting and will be available on the district's Web site at ipsdweb.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/Budget.
District 204 covers portions of Naperville, Aurora, Plainfield and Bolingbrook.

[Arch]

Curt,

The district was the dealer and they dealt themselves a bad hand going back many years prior...and scoffed anyone who said this was coming or that the pie in the sky wasn't going to continue on with constant growth with new homes, new jobs and the silly population growth projections. Please stop trying to revise what went on or at the very least come out of denial... Only then can we move forward with a more corrected and proper course of action for the future.

[brant]

So it has finally come and sooner then most expected. It is time to cut our losses and close MV. Of course our all knowing SB will continue to throw money at MV and make the announcement they will have to shut WV and several ES.

[brant]

School board members won't vote until March 22 on the budget proposal unveiled Thursday by Indian Prairie Unit District 204 administrators, but several already are weighing in.
New budget proposal makes Dist. 204 board members uneasy

Lost sleep, indigestion and broken hearts are some of the side effects they say they've endured while contemplating cutting 145 nontenured teachers, laying off 19 administrators and enacting pay freezes and increased class sizes to trim what will be a combined $21.4 million from next year's projected $288 million budget.

"We don't find any part of this process enjoyable. The governor dealt us a bad hand and our only choice is to play with what we are given," board President Curt Bradshaw said. "We already receive and spend 20 percent less per student than our peers, so cutting more is difficult. However, we owe it to our taxpayers to live within our means just as they are striving to do."
Dawn DeSart said she has been kept awake at night, feeling her stomach turn, unable to get budget-related thoughts out of her head.
Christine Vickers said her heart is continuously broken when she's forced to realize the importance finances play in the board's decision-making progress.
Cathy Piehl is left hoping for a miracle before the proposal actually gets to the board.
But they all agree the proposal is not a done deal until the board approves it - and some members think there's more work to be done before they sign off on the recommendation.
"It's possible that we go ahead just as the administration is planning or it's possible things may change. I have no idea. But I know it will be very upsetting," Piehl said. "I hope there are some positives to come from all this one day down the road. That's what I'm hoping for."
DeSart said she already has a few recommendations that have been shot down by her colleagues but she intends to keep fighting in the hopes her suggestions could spare some, if not all, of the proposed job cuts. She said she has proposed wage reductions for administrators, furlough days for all employees and several other plans but has received little support.
"I would love to see the administration's salaries rolled back 2 or 3 percent instead of being frozen and I would like us to pay less of their benefit package," she said. " I think it would go a long way in the community if they showed they're willing to take a small hit in their personal income to benefit our children."
Vickers said she hopes the two unions currently negotiating for new contracts - including the teachers - also keep in mind the stark realities of the budget proposal.
"Difficult times bring difficult measures and in this situation everyone has to give something and it has to be fair at all levels. Everyone has to come to give something in a time of dire need," she said. "Negotiations must be realistic and the unions must understand the predicament we all face right now."
Superintendent Kathryn Birkett and her administrative team are expected to present their proposal to the board during the March 22 school board meeting.
Board members Alka Tyle, Mark Metzger and Susan Rasmus could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

[brant]

So they can't sleep? What the Hell did they think was going to happen? Now a real fight is going to begin about closing schools. Big surprise. DD probably is sick to her stomach knowing she will get her ass kicked in the election.

[casey]

Mar 12, 2010 7:28:57 GMT -6 brant said:

"It's possible that we go ahead just as the administration is planning or it's possible things may change. I have no idea. But I know it will be very upsetting," Piehl said. "I hope there are some positives to come from all this one day down the road. That's what I'm hoping for."

What a genius quote, Cathy. It's possible things may change? Ya think? To think our idiot voters chose someone like her as opposed to Eric or Jerry who have a strong business and financial background. Sad.

[casey]

Mar 12, 2010 7:28:57 GMT -6 brant said:

DeSart said she already has a few recommendations that have been shot down by her colleagues but she intends to keep fighting in the hopes her suggestions could spare some, if not all, of the proposed job cuts. She said she has proposed wage reductions for administrators, furlough days for all employees and several other plans but has received little support.
"I would love to see the administration's salaries rolled back 2 or 3 percent instead of being frozen and I would like us to pay less of their benefit package," she said. " I think it would go a long way in the community if they showed they're willing to take a small hit in their personal income to benefit our children."

We would all love to see that, Dawn. Keep fighting. I don't see it happening but it'd be the right thing to do. I still can't believe that our administrators pay almost nothing of their health care premiums. Nice deal in today's economy. Sad but most would rather lose 145 teaching jobs than watch their own salaries, benefits, and pension be cut.

Given Quinn's crazy bail-out plan with borrowing more money and raising taxes, I don't see much changing in our district. We'll continue to spend recklessly and continue to throw money away. I don't see teachers really losing their jobs (I'd look for the majority of them to be re-hired) and I'll be curious if 6% of building administrators will be gone (remember that's really only 5.5 staff members). Instead of hiring new administrators (latest one was the new superintendent of ELL) why don't they trim the fat. We've got plenty of it at the district office.

[concerned2]

WGN news just featured district 204 and our money problems. Wished they feautred MV instead of WVHS as the school of choice. This situation really irritate me. MV never should of happened. Now we are cutting teachers increasing class size??? What really I thought a 3rd HS was supposed to help with overcrowding. Please!!!!

[blankcheck]

This is a set up. I'll explain:
1) According to M2-the only thing certain is that 145 teachers will be laid off. The rest is just a thought.
2) 19 administrators??? BS call it what it is - 5.5 administrators and 13.5 office staff positions.
3) Increasing fees - another "tax" to the taxpayers.
4) If DD is sick to her stomach now, one can only imagine how she would handle Springfield:)
5) CP hoping for a "Miracle" Where has she been all this time. This did not happen overnight.

Where is the thought of consolidation of half empty elementary schools?? I'm sure their PR firm is really playing off about the teacher layoffs and increase class sizes. You really think they would come up with a new scare tactic but no....just the same old story we have heard so many times before. What a joke.

[doctorwho]

Mar 12, 2010 7:41:57 GMT -6 casey said:

Mar 12, 2010 7:28:57 GMT -6 brant said:

"It's possible that we go ahead just as the administration is planning or it's possible things may change. I have no idea. But I know it will be very upsetting," Piehl said. "I hope there are some positives to come from all this one day down the road. That's what I'm hoping for."

What a genius quote, Cathy. It's possible things may change? Ya think? To think our idiot voters chose someone like her as opposed to Eric or Jerry who have a strong business and financial background. Sad.

well orchestrated and played by M2 and crew to use the PTSA to elect people totally unqualified for the positions - their job is to say yes to whatever m2 and Curt say...

[doctorwho]

Mar 12, 2010 7:10:19 GMT -6 brant said:

Naperville Sun 3/12

145 D204 teachers to be cut; class sizes to grow
Officials say class sizes to increase

Class sizes in Indian Prairie District 204 are expected to increase next year as a result of 145 teachers being laid off because of a lack of state funding.
In a message to the District 204 community Thursday afternoon, Superintendent Kathy Birkett outlined what the state budget cuts will mean for students and employees.
"With 80 percent of our budget in staffing expenses, budget cuts will impact our teaching staff. Although difficult to think about in this economy, we must reduce staff. In order to achieve a savings, we must look at class sizes across the district," Birkett wrote.
By releasing 145 non-tenured teachers, the district will be reducing the number of teaching positions by 6.5 percent. That means class sizes will increase. At the elementary level, the proposal calls for increasing the maximum class size in second through fifth grades by two from 29 to 31. At the secondary level, the average class size will increase by two, she said.
"We already receive and spend 20 percent less per student than our peers, so cutting more is difficult," board President Curt Bradshaw said. "However, we owe it to our taxpayers to live within our means just as they are striving to do."
The district also plans to cut 6 percent of building level administrators and 14.4 percent of central office staff. Also proposed is a pay freeze for all administrators and cutting all administrators' budgets.
Other cost-cutting measures include:
• Audit: a dependent eligibility insurance audit and claims audit, which is expected to provide a savings of $1 million. The audit was the recommendation of the Citizens Financial Advisory Committee.
• Fees: proposed is a small increase in registration and technology fees. The district is also looking at adding or increasing extracurricular fees to save some programs that would otherwise need to be eliminated.
• Implementation of a four-day work week this summer.
• Delays: new projects in building maintenance and technology will be delayed.
"Thankfully our schools are relatively young and we are not facing major structural needs, but work to maintain the structural integrity of our schools cannot be delayed indefinitely," Birkett wrote. "We are also planning to delay some technology projects that would place new equipment in our schools. Delaying the technology refresh cycle limits student learning as they will be using older equipment and software."
Earlier this year the district closed a $9.2 million deficit in the 2011 budget through a variety of means. Those cuts included elimination of some positions, consolidation of classes and delaying some expenditures.
"We have prioritized instruction and have tried to examine all areas against the criteria of minimal impact to students. However, budget cuts of this magnitude are difficult," Birkett wrote. "When you are forced to trim $21.4 million from your budget in a single year, it becomes impossible to not have an impact on our students."
Bradshaw said the cuts are necessary to live within the budget.

"We don't find any part of this process enjoyable," Bradshaw said. "The governor dealt us a bad hand, and our only choice is to play with what we are given."
The board of education is expected to hear a presentation on the budget at its March 22 meeting. In addition, the district has created a section on its Web site for budget information and updates. Budget information can be found at ipsdweb.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/Budget.

easy to slam the governor-- gee I'm willing to bet the governor knows you spent $150M this past year on an unneeded HS when you are now looking at building consolidations

[doctorwho]

Mar 12, 2010 7:22:40 GMT -6 brant said:

So it has finally come and sooner then most expected. It is time to cut our losses and close MV. Of course our all knowing SB will continue to throw money at MV and make the announcement they will have to shut WV and several ES.

"None of the projects will affect completion of the new Metea Valley High School scheduled for January 2011.
"There are separate funds that were approved in the referendum for the high school that are very different than funds that we're currently dealing with on a districtwide basis," she said.
"

Nothing but nothing can stop the north side Taj Mahal -- not pipelines, lousy land, lawsuits , commitments for quick take, transportaion and operations cost increases, condemnation cases, or that fact it wasn't needed...it's like the Holy Grail for this group..

[lacy]

Mar 12, 2010 8:44:33 GMT -6 doctorwho said:

Mar 12, 2010 7:22:40 GMT -6 brant said:

So it has finally come and sooner then most expected. It is time to cut our losses and close MV. Of course our all knowing SB will continue to throw money at MV and make the announcement they will have to shut WV and several ES.

"None of the projects will affect completion of the new Metea Valley High School scheduled for January 2011.
"There are separate funds that were approved in the referendum for the high school that are very different than funds that we're currently dealing with on a districtwide basis," she said.
"

Nothing but nothing can stop the north side Taj Mahal -- not pipelines, lousy land, lawsuits , commitments for quick take, transportaion and operations cost increases, condemnation cases, or that fact it wasn't needed...it's like the Holy Grail for this group..

That stuck out at me too!

They can blame the state all they want, but this district mismanaged our finances. Plain and simple.

[brant]

Mar 12, 2010 8:12:15 GMT -6 concerned2 said:

WGN news just featured district 204 and our money problems. Wished they feautred MV instead of WVHS as the school of choice. This situation really irritate me. MV never should of happened. Now we are cutting teachers increasing class size??? What really I thought a 3rd HS was supposed to help with over crowding. Please!!!!

That is an irony. We build MV because of overcrowding and now we will close schools and keep the same overcrowding as a result. We will be right back where we started minus a few dollars.