California Takes First Step on Major Teacher Seniority Changes
In a recent Ed Week article, I recommended that Congress require states to protect teachers at “persistently lowest performing” schools (schools receiving federal School Improvement Grants) from seniority based layoffs. In the school turnaround process that these schools are undergoing, they often hire new teachers as part of their reform strategies, and thus they often have some of the youngest teachers in the district. If these turnaround schools are the first hit when districts are required to make staffing reductions, it could undermine the turnaround efforts that the federal government is investing $3.5 billion to support. Given that stimulus funds are running out, and state budgets look awful for next year, districts are likely to face dire budget situations when the plan their 2011-12 budgets.
In California the need to change teacher seniority policies is critical given the insurmountable budget shortfalls that the state faces (details here), and the high likelihood that districts will face mass layoffs this next spring.