The Sting

A lot of experienced teachers awoke this morning before the sun came to visit. They showered, poured a cup of coffee, opened their morning newspaper…

Teachers will likely feel sting of shortfall

Teachers over age 50 and those with fewer than three years of experience are likely to be most affected by budget cuts.

…and spilled their coffee all over themselves. Exactly a month too early for April Fools’ Day, teachers all over the area perked up and stared at the headline from Courtney Cutright’s front page article in The Roanoke Times in disbelief.

Although the headline was screaming at the top of its lungs this morning, the information within the article really didn’t surprise teachers and educators in Roanoke County; however, the article did break new ground. Teachers in the county have been aware for some time now that non-renewals and reductions are a distinct possibility. We also have known that salaries will most likely be frozen, and that the school board is working diligently to lessen the impact of the state’s insane budget cuts.

The revelation that teachers over age 50 are likely to be most affected by the cuts is a bit of hyperbole. We’ve known since the last school board meeting that the board is offering a new retirement deal for teachers over the age of 50 with at least ten years of experience. These teachers may choose to retire and accept $2500 for five years toward the county health insurance premium or they may choose a lump sum of $12,500 if they do not wish to receive health insurance from the county. Deadline to apply for this offer in writing is March 19. So, it’s not really true that those over 50 are likely to be most affected. Those educators will only be affected by their own choice.

Teachers with less than three years of experience, however, are certainly in line to be most affected by any reduction. Generally, the county will process all possible nonrenewals before dipping into the well to reduce continuing contract teachers. What that means is that teachers who do not have tenure will be let go first if positions need to be eliminated. The idea seems straight-forward as well as unavoidably tragic.

That being said, there is some murkiness in county policy regarding Reductions in Force (RCPS Policy 5.38) and elimination of teaching positions. The policy alludes to “Senority Lists” for continuing contract teachers, but there is no mention of what these lists are and when they are to be published or released to the teachers. For transparency-sake, these lists should be available to all teachers in a timely manner so that they can be prepared in case a reduction creeps into their category.

Non-tenured, non-continuing contract teachers have “no official standing.” This means that the county can dismiss them without cause given as long as the county follows The Code of Virginia § 22.1-305. Their contracts are simply not renewed. There is nothing in RCPS Policy 5.38 that addresses any particular order in non-renewing, no mention of any seniority considerations for non-tenured teachers. How such de-staffing is approached should be clearly defined and explained to any teachers potentially affected as soon as possible. Will the personnel department, utilizing defined categories, base nonrenewals on contractual hiring dates? Will de-staffing happen within each school base with the site administrator making the final determination on who is released? A clearly worded definition of procedural intent would be appropriate and welcome.

Courtney Cutright’s article is her best education piece to date. She took time to research carefully the financial side of the budget equation and delivered information and content that no media source has reported. Ms. Cutright relied on information gained through her Freedom of Information Act request. She mixes in timely reactions from the school board leaders in both Roanoke City and Roanoke County and infuses excellent VEA Research information to create a factual, balanced piece.

“Teachers will likely feel the sting of shortfall” is no surprise for educators in Roanoke County, but it may come as an eye-opening bucket of cold water on the heads of the public. What the State of Virginia is about to do to our public school system is reprehensible and destructive. There’s simply no way around that. Teachers, parents, and -most importantly-children will feel the sting of this shortfall.

Teachers and Staff Slated to Receive Surplus Funds

An unusual story for the times has been developing in Roanoke County over the past month or so. The Roanoke County School Board, at a school board retreat in Williamsburg, initially approved a one-time monetary award for each full time teacher and staff member. Initially, teachers were slated to receive $750 while support staff would receive $500. The money for disbursement was to come from an over-funded insurance reserve account.

When the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors learned of the award in the local paper the next day, they denied a public hearing that was needed before they would have to vote their approval of the matter. Usually, when a school board requests a public hearing, one is respectfully granted.

School employees who had learned of the award, were disappointed by the supervisors decision and decided to visit the supervisor meeting in which the hearing would have been held. Just minutes prior to the regular supervisor meeting, with a room packed with school employees, the supervisors and school board announced that they had come to a compromise that would extend the award to all county full time employees but would cap the award at $500 per employee.

The matter still will need a public hearing and final vote approval by the Board of Supervisors on December 15.

On Thursday, December 3, The Roanoke Times published an editorial critical of the "Bonus" for education employees. What follows is my personal response to the Roanoke Times editorial.

Thom Ryder

Now, in regard to The Roanoke Times Editorial

Times are tough. I do understand the point that was being made in a recent Roanoke Times Editorial. We are staring down the barrel of an unprecedented state budget deficit. More than likely, our pay will be frozen at least for the next two years. Positions may be affected. However, I know that the School Board will do everything to minimize that. Plus, the General Assembly is considering weakening our Virginia Retirement System. We are already seeing more students, enduring reduced supplies, spending more out of our own pockets, and facing ridiculous academic expectations. We are testing, testing, testing so that our children do well on tests. The job seems endless and almost insurmountable.

The way I see it, the $500 I will receive in the deal recently agreed to by the School Board and the Board of Supervisors, is a generous gesture that tells me people out there care about schools. Honestly, I don't think I'm alone in sometimes feeling that the general population views public schools more as four walls to stuff the children rather than as places where learning takes place. In the day-to-day relentless rigor of the classroom, teachers can feel as if they are alone in fighting for a quality education for their students. I appreciate what these two boards are attempting to do for us.

At the recent Board of Supervisors meeting on December 1, one of the supervisors reportedly suggested that the money may be a double-edged sword and might come back to bite us at budget time. Perhaps it will, if we let it. Ultimately, the public will have to come to realize that the way schools have been funded up to now will not be adequate in these troubled times. If we want good schools, we will have to pay for them. That means hiring needed personnel and paying a livable wage for all staff.

One other thing that I've heard repeatedly from the Supervisors and School Board is that ONE-TIME MONEY, like the money from our health insurance reserve account, can't be used to fund positions or to support salary raises. During the past few budget development cycles that I’ve monitored, the ONE-TIME MONEY rule has been pounded into my head. Delivering the surplus insurance reserve account money back to the employees in a one-time disbursement is an allowable and just use of that fund.

As a person who will receive the $500 should it be finally approved, I am thankful. Never before in my life, except for the first year I taught school in 1982, have I needed that money more. With several unplanned and unavoidable expenses, times are extremely tight in my family. I don't think I'm any different from anyone else in that regard. I make no bones about it; I need that money, and I am grateful that the School Board thought of this and fought for it.

The Roanoke Times says that we should show up on December 15. * That sounds like a fine idea.

~Thom Ryder

Elementary Representative

Oak Grove Elementary

*The second Supervisor meeting of each month is held in two sessions. The first goes from 3pm until approximately 5:30. The second begins at 7pm and runs until business is concluded. At this time, we are unsure when the public hearing on our matter will be scheduled. The official agenda will most likely come out about a week before the meeting.