1,000 Pinellas County teachers were just pink slipped (layoffs, high school)

[Maggi07]

Can the schools even continue to function with that kind of loss? Was there really a 1,000 teacher surplus?

Teacher layoffs hit Fla. counties (http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/teacher-layoffs-hit-fla.-counties-050611 - broken link)

[BBI]

Originally Posted by Maggi07

Can the schools even continue to function with that kind of loss? Was there really a 1,000 teacher surplus?

Teacher layoffs hit Fla. counties (http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/teacher-layoffs-hit-fla.-counties-050611 - broken link)

Not clear that so many will actually be laid off. Nobody knows how big the budget cuts are going to be, so the school system might need to lay off as many as 1100 teachers. According to the union contract, the school can only lay off teachers who it notifies by May 12. So the letter should have gone out to everyone who the school system might need to layoff in a worst case scenario. In a TBO article, the school system's HR rep said that "It's our intention to bring back virtually as many as we can." "[V]irtually as many as we can" sounds like "virtually all of them" plus a CYA, but I've never heard anyone say that before, so anyone's guess is as good as mine.

Anyway, if you look at the Pinellas school budget, it'd be pretty easy to cut administration by tens of millions without touching instruction.

[Maggi07]

Originally Posted by BBI

Not clear that so many will actually be laid off. Nobody knows how big the budget cuts are going to be, so the school system might need to lay off as many as 1100 teachers. According to the union contract, the school can only lay off teachers who it notifies by May 12. So the letter should have gone out to everyone who the school system might need to layoff in a worst case scenario. In a TBO article, the school system's HR rep said that "It's our intention to bring back virtually as many as we can." "[V]irtually as many as we can" sounds like "virtually all of them" plus a CYA, but I've never heard anyone say that before, so anyone's guess is as good as mine.

Anyway, if you look at the Pinellas school budget, it'd be pretty easy to cut administration by tens of millions without touching instruction.

I agree with cutting administration.

I thought they "might" lay off that many, too, but when I read the article I linked it looked like a done deal. Maybe it was just overzealous reporting.

[BBI]

Originally Posted by Maggi07

I agree with cutting administration.

I thought they "might" lay off that many, too, but when I read the article I linked it looked like a done deal. Maybe it was just overzealous reporting.

I think it was just overzealous reporting. It will probably be big news when the budget cuts are finally determined, and then more big news a few days later when teacher layoffs are announced (unless there are no or few layoffs, in which case there will be no story).

[tewas]

I might be a little off here, but doesn't they lay off teachers in the spring and then rehire them in the fall quite often? If it's the first time they did that, looks like we're feeling that 60 million cut impacting right about now
I do agree, to an extent, that they could look into administrative layoffs, but you can't just cut them out and expect functioning system. On the other hand, who would decide to cut own job. I don't really see anyone standing up and saying "I will fire myself so you guys can save money and have jobs"

[Strel]

Originally Posted by Maggi07

Can the schools even continue to function with that kind of loss? Was there really a 1,000 teacher surplus?

Teacher layoffs hit Fla. counties (http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/teacher-layoffs-hit-fla.-counties-050611 - broken link)

1000 families put into hardship.

How many jobs were created?

ZERO.

[BBI]

Originally Posted by tewas

I might be a little off here, but doesn't they lay off teachers in the spring and then rehire them in the fall quite often? If it's the first time they did that, looks like we're feeling that 60 million cut impacting right about now
I do agree, to an extent, that they could look into administrative layoffs, but you can't just cut them out and expect functioning system. On the other hand, who would decide to cut own job. I don't really see anyone standing up and saying "I will fire myself so you guys can save money and have jobs"

Also would like to know the answer to the first question. 30 seconds of google searching makes me think this is par for the course for non-tenured teachers. I know there are some teachers on here who can give us some insight.

On administrative cost reduction, take a look at the budget, its online. Seems like you could pretty easily take $60MM out of it without touching instruction, without jeopardizing the system, and without any self-sacrifice by the school board (though the school board appears to make way too much...).

[rezfreak]

That sucks.

[annaegel]

What do you suppose this means for the level of education for our Florida students? How will they be affected by this? Do you think things will get worse?

[newyorker24]

Originally Posted by annaegel

What do you suppose this means for the level of education for our Florida students? How will they be affected by this? Do you think things will get worse?

If they do not hire them back it will get worse. When I was in high school we had over 40 students in some classes. No one could really get anything done because the classrooms were overcrowded.