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Akron schools can rehire those laid off this year
By John Higgins
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009
Akron Public Schools will spend $14 million in federal stimulus money to create 73 teaching positions to improve literacy in lower grades and special education throughout the district.
The Akron Board of Education voted 6-1 Monday to create the jobs, which will essentially let it call back all of the teachers laid off at the end of this school year. The board also approved an agreement between the district and the teachers union on how those positions will be filled.
Board member Sheila Smith cast the sole no vote because she said she didn't have enough information about the proposal.
Smith wasn't alone in her frustration that the board didn't have more time to go over the plan.
Board members received some information about the plan
on Friday, but many of the details were discussed for the first time at the special meeting on Monday. The meeting was scheduled to approve any routine resolutions needed to close the fiscal year.
District officials said immediate approval was needed to meet hiring and transfer deadlines.
Board member Kirt Conrad also expressed reservations about spending that much money in a rush without a detailed plan for how it would be spent.
''This approach makes me very uncomfortable,'' Conrad said.
Conrad voted for it after getting an amendment attached requiring the district to provide a detailed report about how it will spend the stimulus funds by the end of July and quarterly reports to the board after that.
Akron and other school districts have been wrestling with how to use the federal stimulus dollars piped through existing channels targeted at special education and reading and math help for low-performing and low-income children.
Akron will receive $21 million over two years. The other $7 million will be spent on things that don't require extra staffing.
The district has been told that the stimulus money must create or save jobs and improve student achievement. The district also has been told that it should plan for the money disappearing in two years.
The problem districts are facing is how to hire for positions that are funded for only two years.
Some districts are simply using the stimulus money to hire back teachers they had to lay off, said Ellen McWilliams, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.
Akron's approach is a little different.
Rather than hire the 60 or so teachers on the current layoff list into the new positions, the district will offer the new jobs to current teachers.
When those teachers sign up for the new full-time jobs, the district will need to fill their old jobs, and they'll do that by hiring teachers from the layoff list.
But what happens in two years when the stimulus money for those new jobs disappears?
That's where Phase Two of Akron's plan kicks in.
The district is offering all current teachers who take the new jobs a deal.
If they agree to quit in two years, by retirement or resignation, they can take one of the new jobs at their current salary and collect a $4,000 bonus each year.
And there's another twist: 60 of the 73 jobs have been reserved for teachers who take the two-year separation deal and will be filled by seniority.
The jobs are 34 new literacy intervention teachers for kindergarten through second grade; six 6 new literacy intervention teachers for grades 3 through 5; and 20 teachers who will fill in for teachers taking classes and workshops to improve themselves.
The other 13 new jobs, which include math coaches and disability specialists, will be filled based strictly on interviews.
Here's how the district hopes it plays out: Older teachers who are close to retirement will take the two-year deal. That accomplishes a couple of things.
The most experienced, seasoned teachers will be doing the important work of improving literacy in the lower grades and subbing for teachers who are off learning additional skills.
It also means that the teachers who replace them from the layoff list probably will be lower paid. So at the end of the two years, Akron could see a reduction in its payroll because it would have replaced higher-paid teachers with lower-paid ones.
Even after accounting for the bonuses, which would cost $480,000 from the general fund for two years if 60 teachers take it, Akron could save about $1.2 million a year, according to Treasurer Jack Pierson.
Several board members expressed their support for the plan because it follows the narrow requirements for receiving the federal money, places the most veteran teachers in key roles and saves the district money in the long run while allowing it to bring back its laid-off teachers.
John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com.
Akron Public Schools will spend $14 million in federal stimulus money to create 73 teaching positions to improve literacy in lower grades and special education throughout the district.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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akron, oh
Posted 08:21 AM, 06/30/2009
If BOE are 'uncomfortable' about spending money WITHOUT having full knowledge of the plan then they should have voted NO until more information was made avalible.
Did the BOE rush to vote yes????
Posted 08:26 AM, 06/30/2009
Only a temp fix for the financial problems.... Get their hopes up, then after a couple years, lay em off.
Doesn't this money have to be repaid? I don't see Akron voters passing a levy anytime soon, so there goes a good debt accumalation.
-fail-
akron, oh
Posted 08:37 AM, 06/30/2009
They can hire 10000 news teachers, won't make a difference if the child is a crack baby.
We need more parents with stable homes in Akron. Literacy/math skills does not start at school, it needs to start at home. If a child is behind by fifth grade, odds are they will NEVER catch up.
APS is becoming the nanny district for derelict parent(s).
Akron, Oh
Posted 08:39 AM, 06/30/2009
If any elected offical has any reservation about a proposal due to lack of information, or any other reason, then a motion to table the proposal until adequate information could be provided should have been proposed. Board members did not act in the best interests of their constituents by voting on an issue they didn't fully understand. School officals did not act in an appropriate manner by rushing an issue before the board for a vote without proper information and laying the appropriate groundwork. Whether this issue is worthy or not, doing the public's business in such a fashion doesn't pass the "smell test".
Wadsworth, Oh
Posted 08:47 AM, 06/30/2009
The article mentions that the School district need to spend the money a certain way. That is always the case with the federal government. On one hand they offer money, on another they make you spend it a certain way.
Smart move investing the dollars at K-2. Perhaps if young boys and girls can get off to a good start they will not fall behind.
akron, oh
Posted 09:49 AM, 06/30/2009
14million on 73 jobs???? Wow!!
akron, OH
Posted 10:13 AM, 06/30/2009
This is a smaller version of what's taking place in Congress. Legislation is getting passed without our representatives getting sufficient time to even read the bills let alone scrutinize the program. Wake up America!
akron, oh
Posted 10:29 AM, 06/30/2009
Money and teachers won't fix the problems that start at home. We see politicians in the paper speaking of conserving energy on light bulbs, yet we spend millions on problems that start with poor parenting.
Wadsworth, Oh
Posted 11:03 AM, 06/30/2009
Indeed the home life is critical to student success both in terms of stability and expectations. Unless John Galt has an alternative plan to help akron students become successful (that actually makes sense or would be legal) I am sticking with helping the kids at K-2.
Dade City, Fl
Posted 12:22 PM, 06/30/2009
The BOE goal first and formost is to hire teachers back. Its not about educating those with literacy problems or special needs children. Its all about getting those teachers back to put more money into their retirement funds. The BOE will never put kids first.
Posted 01:04 PM, 06/30/2009
@irishlou I fully agree. Nothing would be lost by tabling the proposal for a few days, holding a special meeting to discuss it further and even pass it..after adequate information was provided. This seems like another union pressure tactic that, while may benefit a few children, benefits the union members greatly. We'll see the results when the money expires and the test results are made public. A huge jump in Akron P.S. literacy scores will be the only acceptable outcome from this, otherwise it was a great farce. As far as eventual savings from spending $14 million..I hope the figures don't lie, but we all know that liers can figure. Hope for the sake of the district this is not the case.
Hudson, OH
Posted 01:59 PM, 06/30/2009
I agree literacy starts at home, at a very young age. But most parents feel, it's the schools job to teach their children not theirs. That attitude is setting your child up for failure.
Something needs to be done at a much higher social level. Parents need to be held accountable for their child's performance.
North Canton, Oh
Posted 07:50 PM, 06/30/2009
Stimulate the economy hire a teacher? That wasn't how the stimulus plan waas pitched.
What will the BOE do when the funds run out and these positions are not part of the budget.
Akron, Oh
Posted 08:00 PM, 06/30/2009
The Akron Schools have a record of taking older and poorer teachers from the classroom and using them in literacy or speciaql programs. They , the older teachers, bid on these because they see them as easier. Wait until the results come out. I'll bet the $14 million doesn't result in any substantive change in scores.
Akron, Oh
Posted 08:02 PM, 06/30/2009
@ irishlou
Are you agreeing with me or yourself? LOL!
You'v e done this before . No problem but please clarify.
Barberton, OH
Posted 08:02 PM, 06/30/2009
@ oldschool: The answer was in the article:
The most experienced, seasoned teachers will be doing the important work of improving literacy in the lower grades and subbing for teachers who are off learning additional skills.
It also means that the teachers who replace them from the layoff list probably will be lower paid. So at the end of the two years, Akron could see a reduction in its payroll because it would have replaced higher-paid teachers with lower-paid ones.
Posted 02:15 PM, 07/01/2009
@14million on 73 jobs???? Wow!!
---no there are more than that, other positions in the district are being paid for via the stimulus funds.
I think they had to "rush" the vote as the money had criteria for how it must be spent and it is coming now, they have to explain who will receive it, etc. to have it in time for school.
I agree, literacy starts at home, hopefully with an emphasis on the lower grades the results will trickle up and help the kids be more successful!
