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Teachers make concessions in contract, savings for district estimated at $15 million
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: May 28, 2010 | 6:19 a.m.
Clark County School District employee layoffs became less likely Thursday when the teachers union ratified a contract with concessions that will relieve the district of $15 million in obligations in 2010-11.
Because the support employees union has also agreed to $10 million in concessions, the two unions essentially filled most of a $26 million gap between projected revenue and expenses that remained in next year's budget.
"These two unions are trendsetters by their example during a fiscal crisis," Superintendent Walt Rulffes said. "The Legislature and community need to remember this gesture of support, sacrifice and compassion for students and their fellow K-12 employees."
The Clark County Education Association, which represents teachers, and the Education Support Employees Association represent about 95 percent of the district's 38,000 employees. Both groups agreed to freeze longevity pay raises in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
The district has budgeted for a total funding shortfall of $145 million for 2010-11 because of state funding cuts and an anticipated drop in property tax revenue.
"Part of the deficit we were looking at assumed we had to do step increases," said Jeff Weiler, the district's chief financial officer, referring to annual pay increases given to employees for longevity and for earning additional academic credentials.
Because of the union concessions, "that's (about) $26 million that we're not going to have to increase in the budget," Weiler said.
The district is still in negotiations with unions representing police and school administrators. Stephen Augspurger, executive director of the Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-technical Employees, said his union is also close to a contract with concessions to save the district more than $2 million. The administrators may agree to take three furlough days that are the equivalent of a 1.5 percent pay cut.
To pare the budget, the district is planning to cut 110 administrative positions and 540 teaching jobs, but displaced employees are expected to find other jobs in the district.
The School Board also voted 5-2, with School Board members Larry Mason and Linda Young dissenting, to amend the contracts with five executive employees: Deputy Superintendent for Student Services Charlene Green, general counsel Bill Hoffman, Deputy Superintendent for Instruction Lauren Kohut-Rost. chief human resources officer Martha Tittle and Weiler.
The amendment will increase their number of furlough days next year from one to five. The savings is expected to amount to $15,000.
Young and Mason have criticized the fairness of these executive contracts because of the new perks they awarded the five employees in October, which totaled more than $100,000.
Contact reporter James Haug at jhaug@reviewjournal.com or 702-374-7917.
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This is just balancing the school budget on the backs of teachers. The school district produces a value to society as a whole, yet only employees are being forced to give up money. Teachers are underpaid as it is, this is just taking more money away from them.
This agreement means that next year 20,000 CCSD teachers will make about $500 less then they were promised. Essentially, this is "taxing" (taking from private citizens and giving to local government body)20,000 people at the rate of $500 each, to provide $10,000,000 to the district. Why not levy a real tax of about $10 on each Clark County taxpayer, after all everyone in the county benefits from the education of children.
The problem is NOT the teachers wages.
There are too many 'middle management' people.
Cut the no student left behind program. CUT IT!
Spend more on those students that are willing to learn and that have parents that get involved.
The education system has enough money. It just needs to be spent on the right programs.
Teachers lose their steps and any raise they may get except for educational raises and get nothing in return.
NLV firefighters give up their raises and a few oter things and get 2.9 hours of paid leave per pay period in return.
Whose has the better neogiator?
Public education will never end, the Private sector will ALWAYS get taxed more to cover the short and long falls of education. From the governments perspective, education is a neccessity and will remain that way, and the private sector can suffer as much as the state workers so that it remains that way. Also, when things do get better, School District workers make up the majority of the population here, being that IT IS the biggest business in the State of Nevada, meaning that pay raises will be given to them, and once again, the private sector will pay.
It's sad to see one of the most important parts of society ( education ) be striped to the bone. With out a good education, what will the future hold for humanity ??
This sounds like the beginning of the end of the public school system in Nevada and probably the rest of the country as well. Public monies from taxes can only stretch so far. Teachers enter their profession knowing that it is a low paying job. The problem with teachers is that they are neither fish nor fowl. They don't have the security of tenure like a government job and they really aren't in the private sector either.
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This is a "BANDAID ON A BROKEN LEG"
Next years budget shortfall will make this years look like the "GOOD OLD DAYS"
The $$$$ are not there, and won't be for a very, very long time. This housing crisis is far from over in Nevada. Let's hope for better days, but it will be a while.