WTU Insists Teachers Should Be Paid !

On Wednesday, December 16 the Washington Teachers’ Union received complaints from members that due to an administrative error teachers and school personnel at Mann Elementary school located at 4430 Newark Street NW would not receive a full paycheck owed them on December 17, 2010. One Mann Elementary school staffer led a valiant effort to try to get teachers their checks on time. Unfortunately many reasonable suggestions to this problem were rejected.

The WTU diligently worked on behalf of our members starting Wednesday and insisted that teachers and school staff should receive a supplemental check prior to going on leave for the holidays. Unfortunately, due to new rules the DCPS payroll office is no longer able to issue supplemental checks within 24 hours.

As a result of the numerous phone calls and emails made by our office to internal DCPS offices and the Office of the Deputy Chancellor, our persistence paid off and Mann school staff did not have to wait until December 23, the date slated for them to receive the other half of their pay. The WTU was able to facilitate our members getting paid effective December 17. I have learned that staff from Mann were called to the school to pick up their supplemental paychecks on Friday evening and could retrieve their checks as late as 11 p.m. In addition, arrangements were made for staff who were unable to pick up their checks on Friday evening to be able to pick up their checks at the school on Saturday, December 18.

This is a happy ending to what could have been a disaster for many staff especially during the holidays. The WTU is happy to have been able to assist in advocating for our members.

Candi Peterson
WTU General Vice President

New Beginnings

From the desk of Candi Peterson:

December 1 marked a new beginning for me as the WTU General Vice President. During the past two years as the writer of this blog, I have enjoyed confronting stormy subjects on public education with readers by my side on a weekly basis. Topics here ranged from former DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, to performance based excessing, unprincipled principals, inside teacher stories, and "holdover" union officials. I have frequently said this blog was never intended to be a permanent dwelling place and first started out with me trying to dispel myths about the red and green teachers contract proposal and later morphed into an online voice for teachers.

I believe you can’t stand still in one place forever or it becomes a comfort zone. Don’t get me wrong, I'm not through with blogging at least not yet but in my new role- more of my time will be spent seeking resolutions to teachers complaints. After all, that’s what I get paid to do. As I work to earn my sea legs in my new position, I'd be interested in hearing your suggestions on how we can improve the quality of union membership services to teachers and school personnel. Feel free to jot me a line or leave a post here.

In keeping with our campaign promise, the Washington Teacher's Union (WTU) will host a December membership meeting and holiday social on Thursday, December 16, 2010 from 4-7:30 pm. Hope you will join us. Here's the invitation:

Please join President Nathan Saunders, Officers, Executive Board Members, Board of Trustees and Staff of the Washington Teachers' Union for a WTU General Membership Meeting and Holiday Party St. Francis Hall 1340 Quincy Street, NE Washington, DC 20017 Music, Food and Fun for All Free on-site Parking Available Thursday, December 16, 2010 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm Refreshments will be served We hope you will join us to meet the new WTU leadership, celebrate the holidays, and receive your WTU holiday token. Raffle Drawings for holiday gifts promises to be a welcome treat. Every teacher that attends our event will be counted towards the WTU's donation of toys for needy children in the district. RSVP Preferred Please RSVP by Tuesday, December 14th, by email at info@wtulocal6.org or by phone at (202) 293-8600

Installation of WTU Officers -December 1, 2010

The installation of WTU officers was held last Tuesday, December 1 at AFT's headquarters. Today marks a new beginning for our union. Thanks for all of your calls, emails and kind words of support.

Finally!

Candi Peterson, blogger in residence and WTU General Vice President (effective December 1, 2010)

The Saunders slate won in the Washington Teachers' Union run-off election Tuesday evening at the AFT headquarters. This is the second win for the Saunders slate. We were the highest vote getter in round one of the WTU election on October 27. Given that WTU's Constitution required slates receive a 51% margin to win, a run-off election was held between the top two slates; the Saunders and Parker slate.

As I have often written about, this election has been a long protracted battle after another. To jog your memory, former" holdover" union president George Parker refused to step down and turn over union documents to the WTU Elections Committee. As a result, WTU elections were not held in May as required by our union's constitution. Long story short, AFT intervened as the WTU administrator and conducted our union elections. Fast forward to Tuesday evening and the Saunders slate can claim a victory with Nathan Saunders as the next WTU President, Candi Peterson, as the next WTU General Vice President and a host of committed and hard working Executive Board and Board of Trustee members.

Tonight we are humbled by all of the support and look forward to building a participatory union democracy committed within the next 30 days to publishing a membership and delegate assembly meetings for SY 2010-11; approving a WTU strategic plan to address IMPACT evaluations, job security and legal issues; meeting with AFT President Randi Weingarten; meeting with DC Mayor-Elect Vincent Gray to discuss IMPACT teacher evaluations and other educational issues affecting teachers, parents and students; meeting with City Council Chairman-Elect Kwame Brown to discuss IMPACT teacher evaluations and other educational issues, meeting with the 266 wrongfully terminated teachers to discuss an immediate change in their legal strategy; meeting with retired teachers and others who have been affected by the loss of retroactive pay and benefits under the new contract, hire personnel experts and human resource consultants to assist with a teacher evaluation tool, review all outstanding grievances and arbitrations, and revamp WTU's image and legal strategy to be proactive, progressive and productive.

Our slate looks forward to taking the helm and becoming the education-union leaders that DC teachers and school personnel deserve. I hope you will check out Bill Turque, Washington Post writer's coverage on "Washington Teachers' Union President George Parker loses run-off election" (click on title link for story).

Parker's Last Acts Of Desperation - Happy Thanksgiving!

Update: WTU Run-off Election Ballot Count will take place today, November 30, 2010 @ 4:30 pm @ AFT headquarters.

Featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence and WTU Candidate for General Vice President/Saunders slate

In the first Washington Teachers Union (WTU) election, two out of three teachers voted against WTU "holdover" President George Parker whose constitutional term ended June 30, 2010. Since those results were tallied, the Liz Davis/Emily Washington slate and Chris and Ben Bergfalk slate endorsed the Nathan Saunders slate of which I am a part. Parker’s loss to Saunders has brought out the worst in him. On the final leg of the WTU race, Parker's last acts of desperation reveal an underbelly of petulance, lies, small minded mean spiritedness and pure hate.

The Parker campaign conducted mass robo-calling using union resources which include repeated reminders about dental benefits and promises of meetings with teachers and another survey on IMPACT under the guise of conducting union business. Of late Parker has distributed hundreds of pamphlets to schools that instill fear that a vote for Nathan Saunders will result in our union going backwards neglecting the fact that for the last six years under Parker's leadership, WTU members democratic rights have been destroyed and teachers due process rights have been trampled along with the loss of 1,000 teacher jobs by an out of control Rhee administration.

Parker in his hate literature has alleged spurious, false and exaggerated allegations about Nathan Saunders work history and has left out pertinent details regarding an American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Executive Council investigation that resulted in an AFT order for Parker and the WTU Executive board to approve Saunders leave of absence and back pay forthwith. If we are to go down this road, then the obvious question is: How should these treasonous acts of Parker subverting the WTU Constitution as well as his refusal to comply with an AFT September 17, 2010 order from our parent organization be handled ? Further, how much is Parker paid in salary, how much salary should he (Parker) forgo by his refusal to have union membership and representative assembly meetings over the past year, his refusal to hold a timely union election last May as required by the WTU Constitution and his refusal to comply with the AFT Order ?

Parker's campaign has become an abomination, hell-bent on victory no matter the cost to teachers and school personnel. Hollow promises, empty promises, and more absurd promises have been made to union members. Parker will meet with teachers, provide edible treats and salacious lies while guaranteeing teachers higher impact scores and better working conditions if they promise to vote for him. Parker's latest campaign trick is offering to pick up union members ballots from their homes during the Thanksgiving season.

Unfortunately Parker has no track record short of his devaluation of teacher employment rights by the concessions he has already made. The contract tidbits don’t pay the mortgage, put food on the table and clothe the kids when you have been terminated from your job. We do know our union is in pretty bad shape with mass teacher terminations, unfair IMPACT evaluations running amuck, related stress and low morale. The truth is that things can only get better with Nathan Saunders Slate, not worse.

Hastily called meetings after hastily called meetings, email after email, robo call after robo call, negative campaign ads after negative campaign ads - some say Parker has reached the bottom of the barrel and gone over the edge. These last ugly acts of desperation by Parker are a disgrace and insult to every WTU member. What is the proper response to Parker's campaign negativity? Do you want to see more negativity from "holdover president" Parker in this Thanksgiving season? Tell me what you think!

By the way- Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Precarious Predicament for DCPS Instructional Coaches

Featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence and candidate for WTU General Vice President

11/21/10 UPDATE: "Holdover" President Parker was a 'no show' at the Nov. 19 meeting, according to attendees.

DCPS Instructional Coaches (IC's) find themselves in a precarious predicament being government employees manipulated at taxpayer's expense. The Washington Teacher has confirmed that Instructional Coaches are required to attend a mandatory November 19 afternoon meeting with "Holdover" president George Parker during instructional time instead of their previously scheduled training.This is the second hastily called Friday meeting for IC's with Parker at taxpayer's expense and has some IC's feeling miffed about the misuse of instructional time and directive to meet with Parker.

In a November 18 email to Jason Kamras, one IC wrote: "In all my years as DCPS employee, I have never worked under administrators who disregarded the sanctity of instructional time. The last such meeting was a total sham! George Parker and Mary Collins presented nothing of educational, or professional value to teachers. Needless to say, I am shocked and disappointed by this administration's callous disregard for instructional time. I have no recourse but to respond to (Washington Post) Bill Turque's queries about this meeting as many WTU members have forwarded the email notices about this meeting to him. Please explain why this meeting is preempting one half day's training for Instructional Coaches for a Union meeting. I pay taxes in DC and I know that you and Kaya do too; thus, I do not believe that DC tax payers will look favorably upon this misuse of learning time for teachers and students."

Another union activist complained to Parker earlier this week in a terse email : "Despite the recent meeting with DC teaching fellows, you have not called a union meeting in six months. This violates our Constitution and you (Parker) are directly responsible for this on-going destruction of unionists' democratic rights." One has to wonder how important these IC's issues really are to Parker given that he hasn't conducted any union meetings (rep. assembly or membership mtgs.) as the WTU Constitution requires. Perhaps Parker's meeting with IC's is as Washington Post writer/blogger Bill Turque suggested about Parker's recent meeting with TFA/DC teaching fellows an attempt by him to reach out to a less active segment of the electorate to garner votes in the runoff election against the Nathan Saunders slate who received the most votes overall. I was in attendance at the TFA/DC Teacher Fellows meeting and the menu piled on crab cakes, London Broil and quesadillas while Parker promised to work on the DC fellows job related issues (i.e not being paid, exorbitant costs for private certification to the tune of $4000, etc.) and provide special IMPACT training.

Given that the city is demanding that teachers be held accountable for student performance- is this union meeting an appropriate use of Instructional Coaches time or is it the payback of Interim Chancellor Kaya Henderson to Parker? As a Washington Teacher commenter wrote to me: "I expect this from Parker, who has pulled every trick out of the book to stay in office, but I'm feeling abused by Kaya Henderson right now. Gray better watch these actions. "

WTU Ballots Are In- We Need Your Vote!

Winning Round 1 of the WTU election was only the first step on this journey to build a participative democratic union that fights for the job security of our members, holds regular union meetings and legally challenges unfair IMPACT evaluations and wrongful terminations. The Saunders slate won the endorsement of former candidates - Liz Davis, Emily Washington, Chris and Ben Bergfalk.

Today we need to take another step together. The WTU run-off election decides who will be our union's leaders for the next three years.

That’s why we need you to vote and mail your ballot today.We have greatly appreciated your support over the years, but once again, we need your vote. Mark an X for the Saunders slate and place your ballot in the secret ballot envelope and mail it today. If you don't receive a ballot, call AAA @ 1-800-273-0726 to request a duplicate ballot.

Thanks,

Nathan Saunders

and

Candi Peterson

www.votesaunders2010.com

Vote Like Your Job Depends On It- WTU Ballots Are Coming Soon!

Candi Peterson, Candidate for WTU General Vice President & blogger in residence

Most voters agree that the Saunders slate is the best team for the job. Liz Davis , Emily Washington, Chris and Ben Bergfalk have given their personal endorsement to our slate. We won round 1 in the WTU elections. The election rules require the winner receive 51% of the vote. We need your vote again to win your vote in round 2 in the election run-off.

Recent events have created an atmosphere of instability and lack of respect previously unknown to DC teachers and school personnel. WTU "Hold Over" President Parker has failed to protect teachers jobs and secure teacher respect. The following factors threaten DC teachers and school personnel:

Unfair Impact Evaluations (i.e 737 teachers/school personnel were rated minimally effective, therefore subject to termination at the end of this school year). WTU hold over official says Impact Evaluations are not my fault.

Approximately 550 Highly Effective teachers are now vulnerable because their due process rights were traded for bonus pay.

In an October 29, 2010 DC Superior Court hearing, the 266 wrongfully terminated teachers were abandoned when the Parker supervised WTU legal counsel made no legal arguments for reinstatement, back pay and pain and suffering.

In the upcoming runoff election, some of the important considerations for voters must be due process rights, job security and teacher respect.

Vote Saunders Slate in the runoff election- mail your ballot immediately

http://www.votesaunders2010.com/

Nathan Saunders and Candi Peterson have been working for teachers all along!

The 266 Deserve Quality Legal Representation

Featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence and WTU Candidate for General Vice President

On Friday, October 29 in the courtroom of Judge Judith Bartnoff- WTU lawyers appeared to challenge the reduction in force of 266 laid off teachers and school personnel. DC Schools Insider blogger, Bill Turque reported "The Washington Teachers' Union court challenge to the October 2009 layoffs effectively end this morning when a WTU attorney told a DC Superior Court judge that after scrutinizing 1,200 pages of District documents, the union could find no evidence that Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee contrived the budget crunch she said justified the job reductions."

Some of the laid-off teachers I talked to find it amazing that attorney Brenda C. Zwack said: "We didn't find anything that would warrant further briefing". While the court hearing lasted no more than 10 minutes, it left those in the audience with unanswered questions about their legal representation and the impact that this case will have on their personal lawsuits. Unfortunately, WTU's "Hold over" President Parker was not present at Friday's hearing and could not be questioned by the handful of teachers who were present. Attorney Zwack reportedly made a "mad dash" for the nearest exit as teachers attempted to question her more in depth.

While I have not seen the 1200 page documents that DCPS submitted, I know for a fact that the Rhee administration continued to hire teachers and other school personnel after the 266 were laid off last October. I followed many of the DCPS job advertisements that the Rhee administration placed on Craig’s list for teachers and school personnel. I often wondered why a freeze was never ordered in school year 2009-10 by Mayor Fenty, since DCPS was in a budget deficit. One thing is for sure — the Rhee administration continued to spend willy-nilly without any checks and balances in place. Perhaps that’s why we are in an even bigger deficit now.

If you recall more than a year ago Nathan Saunders and I arranged for a free two hour legal consultation (which turned into 3 hours) to laid off DC teachers with another law firm who later offered to represent the 266 teachers case at a significantly reduced rate. It seems that our hunch about the quality of legal representation that these teachers received was correct. I know we can and we must do better. At the very least, the 266 wrongfully terminated teachers' legal case deserves another 'look- see' by another law firm. This is why the Saunders slate needs your support to get elected in the run-off election so that we can aggressively represent the 266 who were wrongfully terminated. We owe it to them, that is if it's not too late.

I encourage all to read Bill Turque's article in the Washington Post on the legal challenge to the layoffs which appeared in Saturday's newspaper. Click on the link to see the article in its entirety:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/29/AR2010102907400.html?nav%3Demailpage&sub=AR

WTU Election Results

Election Results

Nathan Saunders slate 334 votes

Hold Over President Parker's slate 313 votes

Davis slate 196 votes

Bergfalk slate 38 votes

Candi Peterson, Blogger in residence and candidate for WTU General Vice President

Last night our slate won! It was an exciting evening for the Saunders slate. Parker, hold over WTU President never showed up to watch the election results. The WTU Constitution requires that the winner receives more than 50% percent majority of the total votes cast. If none of the candidates receive more than 50% of the total votes cast, then there must be a run-off election between the two candidates who received the highest number of votes. In this case, Nathan Saunders received 334 votes and Hold Over WTU President Parker received 313 votes; therefore, there will be a run-off election between our two slates. The challenge ballots submitted by those who recently retired, resigned or were terminated were not counted.

We will need your continued support in the upcoming run-off election. Thanks for all of your support so far.

Hot Off The Press: Reduction In Force (RIF) In DCPS

Featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence & candidate for WTU General Vice President

Update: The Washington Teacher led the story on DCPS layoffs which were later confirmed by Bill Turque and Fox 5 News. According to inside sources, the total number of layoffs were not reported accurately by the DCPS spokesperson and numbers could be as high as 127 employees.

Sources have told The Washington Teacher that Deputy Chancellor, Kaya Henderson instituted yet another round of layoffs of DC Public Schools employees on Friday, October 22. These layoffs are one year after the October 2, 2009 anniversary date of layoffs of 266 teachers and approximately 100 other school staff. Inside sources report that this latest reduction in force allegedly includes special education specialists, placement specialists, central office staff and school based social workers and school psychologists some of whom may be members of the Washington Teachers Union. Stay tuned for further details on the 2010 round of school layoffs.

Haven't voted in the WTU elections yet? Get your ballot ready and vote Saunders slate! Mail your ballot today. www.votesaunders2010.com

An Open Letter To WTU Members

Dear Washington Teachers' Union Members,

For years, we fought to make sure teacher voices were heard and due process rights were protected. Our actions were required when WTU “Holdover” President George Parker refused to act. Under his leadership, jobs were lost, unfair IMPACT evaluations were created and teachers suffered professional disrespect. Candi Peterson- a WTU Trustee board member and building representative - created theWashingtonteacher.blogspot.com, a reputable DC education online voice for teachers and school personnel in 2008. She has been an intelligent teacher voice and foundation for numerous DC education stories. Nathan Saunders, WTU’s two term General Vice President- spoke expertly as the legitimate opposition voice on education reform efforts which hurt DC students, parents, and teachers. We accurately forecasted teacher/school personnel terminations, oppressive working conditions and performance based mutual consent. We provided facts, analysis, and solutions. We created rallies and demonstrations after Parker “sold out” WTU members. We worked alongside parents to challenge disproportionate school closings in Ward 5 and some of our poorer sections of the city. This current election, which is more than six months overdue, was forced by our court action e.g. Saunders et al. v. WTU. Visualize our mutual progress if you entrust your vote and WTU resources to us!

We do better because we know better. The WTU can be a voice for members and can negotiate a better contract and improve working conditions. Without a change in President, the current state of confusion, failure to hold union meetings, ineffective advocacy, and weakness will continue to endanger your job and positive working conditions that facilitate teaching and learning. With the current union president Parker - you have no voice.

Nathan is the only candidate for union President with world class training in how to be a successful teachers union President. He is a Harvard Law School- Harvard Trade Union Program graduate and earned a Masters degree in Law and Ethics from the National Labor College/University of Baltimore.

If you are wrongfully terminated, it will be too late. Elect a strong President with excellent credentials and experience supported by an effective executive board who support a participative union democracy. Remember, Nathan and Candi have been fighting for you all along! Vote Saunders Slate ! Check out our website @ www.votesaunders2010.com An X mark is all it takes. Place your ballots inside the secret ballot and then send it off in the mailer provided. If you still have not received a ballot call the American Arbitration today @ 800-273-0726.

Vote Saunders Slate Today!

www.votesaunders2010.com/

Featuring Candi Peterson, Blogger in residence &

candidate for WTU General Vice President

Click our flyer to enlarge

One X is all it takes- Vote Saunders Slate!

Nathan & Candi- We've been working for you all along !

IF YOU NEED A DUPLICATE BALLOT for any of the following reasons: you did not receive a ballot, the ballot package is not complete or your ballot has been lost, damaged or spoiled - Please call Maria Landhi, American Arbitration Association @ 800-273-0726

In addition to calling AAA, please email thewashingtonteacher@gmail.com to let me know if you don't receive a ballot.

Breaking News!

Featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence and candidate for WTU General Vice President

The Washington Post reports that Chancellor Michelle Rhee will announce on Wednesday that she is resigning at the end of October. Deputy Chancellor Kaya Henderson will serve as the interim Chancellor. What do you think led to Rhee's abrupt resignation?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/12/AR2010101205658.html

D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee to announce resignation Wednesday

Hot Off The Press: The Wash. Teacher Update on DCPS Pay Freeze

Featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence & candidate for WTU General Vice President

Earlier this week, I wrote about Mayor Fenty's Executive Order which went into effect on October 6 and places a 'freeze' on DC Government hiring, vacant positions and negotiated wage/salary benefits. We can now bring some closure to questions that we had about whether our future pay raises would be jeopardized by the Mayor's recent Executive Order. In response to questions raised on The Washington Teacher blog, Safiya Simmons, spokeswoman for Chancellor Michelle Rhee responded "We remain fully committed to honoring the agreement we signed." The Washington Teacher was glad to have been able to advocate for teachers and school personnel by elevating our isues. Imagine what I could do for you as the WTU General Vice President.

Reduction In Force:Rhee's Final Curtain Call ?

Featuring Candi Peterson, Blogger in Residence

Due to a budget shortfall and projected spending pressures in DC government, Mayor Adrian Fenty signed an Executive Order which will take effect on October 6. Click the link to see the Executive Order:

http://assets.bizjournals.com/cms_media/washington/pdf/executive%20order.pdf

As a result of spending pressures, DC Government inclusive of DC Public Schools will be under the following restrictions:

1. freeze on new hiring
2. freeze on all vacant positions
3. freeze on travel and training
4. there will be NO INCREASE in salary or benefits including increases in negotiated salary, wage and benefits provisions and negotiated salary schedules shall be provided in fiscal year 2011 from the fiscal year 2010 salary and benefits levels.

When the Washington Teachers' Union contract (2007-12) which was negotiated and finalized by 'Hold Over' union President George Parker and AFT President Randi Weingarten in September 2010, I questioned and raised concerns about a clause in the union contract language which states on page 103:

Article 40.1: The Parties agree that all provisions of this agreement are subject to the availability of funds.

40.2: Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as a promise that Congress, the DC Council and any other organization shall appropriate sufficient funds to meet the obligations set forth in this Agreement."

I was worried that this clause which has never appeared in previous union contracts would come back to haunt us in addition to, protecting DC Public Schools from honoring the terms of our Contract Agreement once ratified. My gut told me that when Parker and Weingarten negotiated our teachers' union contract during a large looming budget deficit (158 mil) that it would only lead to problems for us down the road. Of course my concerns about the contract language that were addressed to 'Hold Over' Union President George Parker fell on deaf ears and of course the rest is history. While I don't have the answers to what the Mayor's Executive order means for DC teachers and school personnel, as a critical thinker it raises for me a number of questions and concerns that requires us to seek additional information on how this will impact teachers, school personnel, students and schools.

As if this news weren't bad enough, inside anonymous sources are also reporting that Chancellor Michelle Rhee's final curtain call will be another reduction in force (RIF) for DC public school employees much like the RIF that occurred a year ago last October. While these are only speculations at this point, It is reasonable to believe that cuts will need to be made due to "budget pressures." Certainly at Vincent Gray's town hall meeting on October 5, he suggested that cuts will have to be made in DC Government. Whether or not these spending pressures were manufactured by Rhee and company in order to cleanse DC Schools as one inside source suggests is a question a lot of people are wondering about. Another anonymous source raises some important questions that must be answered (see below). In the days up ahead, I will be exploring the answers to many of the questions below. If you have any insights, feel free to drop me an email @ thewashingtonteacher@gmail.com or post your comment on The Washington Teacher blog.

Questions That Deserve Answers:
1) Is the entire WTU contract that Ms. Rhee negotiated (all salary increases) out the window?
2) Is the entire 21% "negotiated" salary increase out the window?
3) Or is the "negotiated FY 2010" salary scale kept on as the FY 2011 salary level(s)? That is, no increase from FY2010 to FY2011?
4) What impact does this have on IMPACTplus?
5) Will this cause a RIF or excessed positions?
6) If positions are excessed, should highly effective teachers take the "bonus" pay? Are there strings attached for FY 2010?
7) What impact will this have on teacher professional development and implementation of the WTU contract?
8) How many open positions in DCPS are there and are they all frozen?
9) Does this affect the contractor and consultant positions?
10) If schools come in over their budgeted enrollment, can they still expect to receive "equalization" and if so, when?
11) Will DCPS increase the target average class size to reduce the number of teachers needed?
12) How will this help/hinder getting Spec. Ed budgeting under control and bring more services in house? Is it true that DCPS fired so many local Sped support personnel that they must now import services from very far out of town including airfare expenses??
13) What impact does this have on negotiating the CSO contract? Has that gone to arbitration yet?
14) What effect does this have on the other DCPS labor contracts and negotiations (AFSCME, etc.)?
15) Will DCPS seriously consider closing more under enrolled schools to gain back the economy of scale?
16) What does this do to the Fine Arts Middle School currently in the planning states, but with no announced budget?
17) What other initiatives are likely to be cut back?
18) Will this effect the outside evaluation of the educational reforms of the last three years previously budgeted at about $350,000 or so (estimated from memory)? When has this body met since the initial meeting? And what progress have they made?
19) Will this effect the CSM budgeting model or will we see a return to the weighted student formula for local school budgets in order to better ensure that the money actually follows the students?