Contract impasse with Elk Grove teachers
School district budget crisis
By Citizen staff
After more than 200 hours of negotiations and meetings with the Elk Grove Education Association that represents his school district’s teachers, Elk Grove Unified School District (EGUSD) Superintendent Dr. Steven Ladd said the district decided to call an impasse in negotiations.
The district filed documents on March 9 with the California Public Employment Relations Board to certify that the Elk Grove Unified and the EGEA are at an impasse and to request the appointment of a mediator from the State Mediation and Conciliation Service.
Faced with a $62 million shortfall for the 2010-11 school year, the district is seeking two furlough days for 2009-10 school year and seven furlough days for 2010-11, freezes on step and columns, lottery changes and a health benefit freeze.
Class sizes will be increased for kindergarten through sixth grades, and 12 elementary schools will be reverting from year-round back to traditional scheduling.
Class sizes proposed by the district would be up to 28 students to one teacher for grades K-3.
EGEA President Tom Gardner said that would leave about 200 teachers without jobs. Currently K-3 has a class load of 20 to one. Class sizes for grades seven and eight would remain at 26 to one, and 32 to one for the high school.
“In the meantime, EGUSD remains committed to working collaboratively with the EGEA and other bargaining units to resolve this unprecedented financial crisis in the most equitable
The district filed documents on March 9 with the California Public Employment Relations Board to certify that the Elk Grove Unified and the EGEA are at an impasse and to request the appointment of a mediator from the State Mediation and Conciliation Service.
Faced with a $62 million shortfall for the 2010-11 school year, the district is seeking two furlough days for 2009-10 school year and seven furlough days for 2010-11, freezes on step and columns, lottery changes and a health benefit freeze.
Class sizes will be increased for kindergarten through sixth grades, and 12 elementary schools will be reverting from year-round back to traditional scheduling.
Class sizes proposed by the district would be up to 28 students to one teacher for grades K-3.
EGEA President Tom Gardner said that would leave about 200 teachers without jobs. Currently K-3 has a class load of 20 to one. Class sizes for grades seven and eight would remain at 26 to one, and 32 to one for the high school.
“In the meantime, EGUSD remains committed to working collaboratively with the EGEA and other bargaining units to resolve this unprecedented financial crisis in the most equitable