Representing Akron Teachers sinc

thing about it. Last year, there were two statewide rallies in Columbus to protest school funding. A handful of teachers from an elementary school attended the first; when they got back to town, the administration tried to discipline them. The second was organized by the state’s urban districts; with the exception of Akron, each was well represented by professional and classified staff. Regardless of how futile we believe our efforts may be, the consequences of making no effort and having no local strategy are worse.

Charters Continue to Slam the Budget

We don’t mean to belabor the point, but charter schools continue to drain millions from the district budget. Nearly $14 million will be lost next year, and that’s not counting the open enrollment losses. With the ammunition available, it’s difficult to understand why the district has no visible political or public relations campaign aimed at reversing the trend. There’s no question that the quality of education in our schools as measured by test performance is superior-likewise teacher preparedness and training, curriculum and teaching resources. But leadership has not attempted to find out who is leaving and why, and to plan a strategy in response. Until the effort is made, there’s no hope of abating the flow of students and funds out of the district.

District Requests In-Term Bargaining on Fringe Benefits

General Counsel for the Board has requested in-term negotiations to “bargain for a modification of the fringe benefits” coverage in our contract.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement permits either party to request that negotiations take place on matters pertaining to wages, hours, or terms and other conditions of employment before the current Agreement expires, and before negotiations for a successor Agreement begin.

The Negotiating Team will consult with AEA legal counsel before responding to the Board’s request.

at North Broadway won’t miss any familiar faces from among their ranks next year with the exception of Deputy Superintendent Donna Loomis who is retiring. Her spot will be filled, but at a lower rank and salary.

In a Q & A handout at the meeting, the administration claimed that since the 2001-02 school year, cuts in central office staff have reached 12% while teaching position reductions have been 7%. We made a fairer comparison. We counted the number of employees on the 2001-02 Akron Public Schools Organizational Chart, which excludes building level administrators, and found 107 names. This year’s chart lists 104, and based on the information we’ve been given, next year’s organization should list 99. That’s a reduction of 8 positions compared to 278 teaching positions over the same time period (90 in 2001-02, 65 in 2002-03 and 123 this year). The numbers don’t say much about the effort to make cuts as far from the classroom as possible.

“Cuts Won’t Affect the Quality of Instruction”

We appreciate the Board’s confidence in the teaching ranks, but this comment is sheer folly. Class sizes will rise across the district, with 3^rd through 5^th grades being hit hardest. Preliminary staffing plans show large numbers of classes in this group with 25 to 29 students. Enrollment of 30 or more is projected in 41 classes across the city, distributed as follows: 12 sections of 30, 4 sections of 31, 9 sections of 32 students, 7 sections of 33 and 9 sections of 34 students.

All eight middle school alternative programs are being cut as is funding for instructional assistants to cover ISS. Many schools may opt to retain ISS by making it a teacher duty assignment, but without an alternative placement for the most disruptive students and a more aggressive stance on out of school suspensions, there will be more classroom disruptions and lost instructional time.

The State is to Blame

Each Board member took a turn at blaming the legislature for funding problems across the state. We couldn’t agree more with the sentiment. But it’s one thing to criticize and another to do some-

used to actually make permanent improvements (new buildings, additions such as gymnasiums, major renovations/repairs, etc.), we ~~probably~~ possibly could have justified all six positions. Today, circumstances have changed. Under the state subsidized facilities plan, the Board had to hire an outside architectural firm to plan and oversee the new construction and renovation projects. A large portion of the permanent improvements money will now be turned over to the city as part of that plan. Much of what’s left will be used as it has been over the last two years: to buy durable goods like textbooks and computers. In other words, there’s not a whole lot left in the improvements budget for six architects to work with. If you teach in a building with a leaky roof, you get our drift. Yet the department and its $617,000 in salaries wasn’t touched.

No Going Away Parties at 70 North Broadway

As far as job security is concerned, the safest place to be over the last three years has been on the administrative organization chart. On Monday, the board eliminated three positions from the chart, but no one will be without a job. One special subject curriculum specialist is retiring. A second special subject specialist is an interim assignment that will not be filled next year. A third position is to be eliminated, but we don’t know which it is. We do know that the administrators who report to work

Over 170 Positions Cut

There will be 177 fewer jobs in the Akron schools next year as a result of the cuts. The lion’s share of these cuts comes from the ranks of classroom teachers. Specifically, 123 positions in K-12 will be eliminated. Seven counselor and five psychologist positions are gone. All Lead Teacher jobs (4) and half of the Instructional Specialist positions (5) were axed. The numbers add up to 144 fewer positions in our bargaining unit. Secretaries, educational assistants, and maintenance personnel account for most of the remaining cuts.

“Away from the Classroom”

Incredibly, one board member remarked that every effort was made to make cuts “as far away from the classroom as possible.” The statement stretches our capacity to believe to its breaking point.

For example, let’s consider the Architect’s Office, a place as far away from the classroom as you can get. The district employs an in-house School Architect and five (5, V) Assistants to the Architect. When we asked an administrator how that department avoided the ax, we were told “they’ve had that many people up there (3^rd floor) forever.” Once upon a time, when all the monies in the permanent improvements budget were

As Far Away From The Classroom As Possible??

It was reminiscent of the days when Conrad Ott led the district. Monday’s board meeting ran like a well-oiled machine. The Superintendent read to the audience from a rehearsed script that had been passed out to everyone before the meeting was called to order. In the end, the board voted unanimously to cut nearly $11 million from next year’s budget to comply with state laws governing school district fiscal management.