Editorial: Solidarity wins the day with SCTA pact
Between declining enrollment and the state's budget crisis, Sacramento City Unified school district finances have gotten whacked.
Enrollments have gone from a peak of 53,420 in 2001-02 to 42,900 this year – and the decline hasn't ended. The district projects 42,200 students next year.
And the budget picture is daunting. After already taking years of cuts, the district will go from a budget of $421.7 million this year to $346.6 million next year.
So it is good news that the district and the teachers union have reached a tentative agreement that would allow the district to keep more teachers and avoid large numbers of layoffs – typically of newer, younger teachers who received pink slips in May.
The agreement also allows the district to begin to get health benefits for retired teachers under control, including collecting funds from teachers for a new trust fund to pay for retiree health costs. This reduces the amount that must come from the district's general fund.
Teachers should approve the agreement this week.
Without it, 91 K-3 elementary teachers could lose jobs, and class sizes would go from 25 to 30 students.
With the agreement, all teachers would give up $950 a year in salary for the next two years so some of those K-3 teachers could be rehired and class sizes wouldn't have to go up to 30.
Over the long term, the provisions on retiree health care will help the district restore fiscal prudence. During flush economic times, the district and teachers had negotiated generous lifetime health benefits
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2010/06/16/1212319/editorial-solidarity-wins-the.html#ixzz0r3HJsMaA