Representing Akron Teachers sinc

TEACHERS ABSORB $2.7 MILLION OF BOARD’S $3.1 MILLION CUTS.

At its meeting last Monday, the Akron Board of Education adopted a revised five year plan that included a $3.1 million reduction in next year’s general fund spending budget. Among the cuts are 31 elementary teachers, 8 middle school teachers and a psychologist. Together, these positions account for $2.7 million or 88% of the reductions. At the same time, the Board added $835,000 in administrative expenses to the general fund by shifting architect department salaries into the fund and filling a position (enrollment data analyst) that has been vacant for at least three years.

Unfortunately, teacher cuts have become routine over the last several years, so much so that the Board spend roughly 3 ½ minutes to dispense with the topic and move to an hour long debate on a grading scale for secondary students. To our recollection, only one board member commented on the cuts, and that was to ask if the Board would be allowed to talk about them at a later date.

There is a bit of good news in spite of the cuts. The potential for a large number of additional lay-offs for the 2005-2006 school year was greatly reduced by the $2 million in JEDD funds the district recently received from the city. The reduction of 31 elementary positions has already been offset by approximately ten retirements; any additional losses of elementary teachers through retirement, resignation and year-long leaves of absence will further reduce the necessity for lay-offs. The elimination of the eight middle school alternative programs may not cause any additional lay-offs. How and if the reductions in classroom teachers will affect special subject teachers has not yet been determined. On the downside, we still have a small number of teachers on the recall list from last year’s layoffs. It is not inconceivable that every person on the recall list could return to full time status as the school year progresses.

Negotiations Proceed Smoothly on Non-Cost Issues; Wages, Benefits Are Next

Negotiators for AEA and the Board have resolved virtually all non-cost issues on the table and now begin the task of trying to negotiate an equitable wage and fringe benefit settlement. To date, seven all-day sessions have been held and over seventy-five proposals have been agreed to or withdrawn. Several meetings are scheduled between now and the end of May and much if not all of that time will be devoted to discussions on wages and fringe benefits. We hope talks con-tinue on a positive note, but remind members that reaching agreement on these two subjects is always the most difficult part of negotiating a new contract.

Should negotiations continue into the summer recess months, we will provide updates as needed directly to you.

And the Beat Goes On...

While many teachers in legitimate public schools around Ohio scramble to become “highly qualified,” Dave Brennan’s White Hat Management Co. is apparently immune from the state’s push for teacher quality. A Brennan ad in a recent edition of the ABJ announces positions for tutors in various subject areas and for test preparation, including Advance Placement (AP) tests. Note the comment about certification/licensure. So much for teacher mastery of content area!!

Largest Charter Chain Earns Academic Emergency

The state’s largest chain of charter schools would be rated in Academic Emergency if it received a rating from the state as public school districts do. White Hat Management Co.’s chain of charter schools met just one of 18 performance indicators measured by the state, according to an analysis of Ohio Department of Education (ODE) data. If Brennan’s White Hat charter school chain was a recognized school system, it would be Ohio’s 9^th largest based on enrollment. The analysis compared test data from the 31-school, 16,000-student chain to urban public school districts in the counties where White Hat charter schools are located.

Under the ownership of David Brennan, White Hat Management Co., which runs the largest chain of privately operated charter schools in Ohio, will collect $110.4 million in state and local taxes this school year.

ODE data shows that traditional public school students in nearby urban districts passed proficiency tests at a much higher rate than students in all but one of the 28 White Hat charter schools in operation in 2003-2004 (the most recent school year for which test results are available). Public school district students were more proficient on 87 percent (219 of 251) of the subject/grade level tests administered, which include reading, writing, math, citizenship and science in grades three, four, six, nine and 10, as well as the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT).

White Hat Management reported that zero students passed 21 of those state tests; and on 113 of the tests, 25 percent or fewer White Hat students passed. None of the nearby urban public school districts performed as poorly, according to the analysis of ODE data.

AEA Endorsed Candidate Wins Seat on STRS Board

Mary Ann Quilter Flannagan, the AEA endorsed candidate for the active member seat on the State Teachers Retirement System Board finished comfortably ahead of her competitors. Flannagan, a guidance counselor in the Ottawa Hills City School District (near Toledo), made a special trip to Akron to address building representatives and ask for AEA’s support. She was also endorsed by the Ohio Federation of Teachers and its local affiliates.

Flannagan’s election was a pleasant surprise as she faced formidable opposition from candidates endorsed by other organizations, including the Ohio Education Association

Flannagan finished with 15,999 votes, over 4,000 more than the second place finisher. Her four-year term begins September 1, 2005.