Budget & Community Conversation Update
Nov 27th, 2009 by Scot Graden
SAS Community,
At the November 24th regular Board of Education meeting we continued discussing options for reducing the current year deficit of $2.0 million and the projected $3.4 million shortfall in the 2010-2011 school year. Additionally, I reported back regarding the Board directed request to reopen all collective bargaining agreements for the purpose of seeking concessions related to wages and benefits. I have met with each group to discuss our financial challenges and to officially request the opening of agreements. To date, the Educational Support Personnel and Saline Area Saline Managers Association units who have contracts that expire on June 30, 2010 have pledged to explore cost savings related to health care benefits. The Saline Area School Administrator Association unit has agreed in principle to wage and benefit concessions in both the current year and the 2010-2011 school year. The Saline Education Association is not currently willing to reopen the collective bargaining agreement that expires on June 30, 2012 to discuss concessions. They are under no obligation to reopen.
We are continuing to evaluate our options to reduce the combined $5.4 million projected shortfall. On November 25th, we met as an administrative team to evaluate non-staff related cost saving measures that can be implemented to reduce our expenditures. The target was to reduce our non-staff expenditures by $300,000 during the second half of the year. In addition, we are continuing to review the need for staff reductions during the current school year.
I would like to thank everyone who has attended one of my “budget talks” to learn more about the issues facing Saline Area Schools. I have scheduled another Community Conversation to discuss budget issues on Monday, December 14th from 6:30pm-8:00pm in the Liberty School Auditorium.
Thank you,
Scot Graden
Mr. Graden, Could you identify for us the $300,000 in cuts prior to the meeting, so we can consider and address them that night?
Thanks,
Scott Brodie
Scot,
My father was an educator and I have always been supportive of teachers, but your post about the Saline Education Association’s unwillingness to open their contract concerns me. I don’t think they understand the long term ramifications of their decision. Are the kids really their number one priority? They need to remember that we, the citizens of the school district, who have probably suffered in some way or another this year economically pay their salary and as much as they don’t want to give up an item that was bargained for, must look at the big picture.
Through my adult years I have heard many comments about how overpaid teachers are and have defended them in conversation, but I am hard pressed to do that especially of the Saline teachers. They have better benefits than probably 75% or higher of working citizens of Saline. What is their rationale? Are they better than the rest of the hard workers that have taken cuts in pay, benefits or are just thankful for having a job? I hope the public becomes outraged over their unwillingness to renegotiate and exerts pressure on the teachers. The perception of greed or the unwillingness to change is probably a large reason why millage was turned down and this confirms it.
The Saline Area School District prides itself in providing an education that is academically outstanding and well rounded which includes sports, music, literature, languages and others. The long term effect from laying off teachers due to the budget deficit will be far reaching and has consequences that the Saline Education Association don’t realize. Why would anyone send their children to a district that has class sizes above 30 students and lack other educational and enrichment opportunities? This will in turn make parents seek other educational institutions- whether it be from private, charter or other public schools- and thus Saline loses more students and then more teachers. It is not where we as a school district want to go, especially now when each student is important to us.
I am sorry this is long, but I am disgusted and saddened by the unwillingness of the Saline Education Association to help when everyone has had to step up to the plate and make sacrifices personally and professionally during these desperate economic times. I hope the Saline Education Association remembers why they chose education as their career: to make a difference in a child’s life.
We are in agreement with Doug’s comment. At a time when everyone else is asked to make amendments and sacrifices, it seems that doesn’t apply to the SEA. Would they rather have their classes cut and lose their jobs and have to look for teaching jobs elsewhere? That is what is on the table as well, so we are told. I doubt that many could find similar jobs in Michigan, and would have to go out of state. There are many wonderful educators in this system and we would hate to lose them, however if they are not willing or interested in being part of the solution, they they are part of the problem. Opening up their contract would be one way help be part of the solution. I applaud Doug for his frankness and courage in speaking out. We have known we have had “a problem” for over 2 years, and nobody wanted to admit it, much less listen, now we are told we have to roll up our sleeves- I would have thought (hoped) that they would have already been rolled up. Let us ALL roll them up for the kids, Saline, Michigan and our future.
Scot,
Could you please clarify how the decision not to to reopen the collective bargaining agreement was made by the SEA. Was it voted upon? If so, by whom and what were the results? I would be very interested in the details of the process that was used to come to such a decision. Thank you.
Obviously, I am not in the bargaining unit. However, based on the information I have been provided – I don’t believe there was a vote by the Saline membership.
Dear Scot and Saline Tax Payers,
We all value your efforts to control the budget issue. It’s a problem that we can all agree will be an uterly uncomfortable change for everyone. I’m interested in having a look at the budget myself. It’s my understanding that NONE of the Washtenaw County Public Schools involved in the recent request were willing to re-open their contracts.
By simple math the $300,000 “target to reduce all non-staff expenditures” is about 18 percent of the problem for Saline alone. I noticed that it is a target number and I would really like to see the actual cost savings incurred during the second half of this year and for who is most affected by this? The other $5,100,000 is supposed to come from the 416 staff members (teachers)? That means the SAS Board expects the teachers to take concessions of over twelve thousand ($12,000) per teacher next year. That’s 10 mortgage payments for my family.
As a 33 year resident of Washtenaw County and with 2 children approaching school age I look forward to sending them to Saline Area Schools. Furthermore, I did vote yes for the millage once I realized that the actual cost to me (the tax payer) was between $100 and $200 per year. I just want the best for my kid’s future and deteriorating the quality of education by paying less for the service (teachers) is revolting. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for Saline!
Thanks you,
Greg
Scot,
So who can answer my question about what process was used to make the decision not to to reopen the collective bargaining agreement since you are unable to?
This article speaks to the issue and quotes SEA President, Tim Heim.
http://www.annarbor.com/news/teachers-union-contracts/
Mr. Heim’s contact information is available here – http://www.salineschools.com/index.php/departments/itd/45-itd/72-staff-lookup
It seems like there has been a lot of unnecessary spending recently, such as the sign in front of the highschool. Is it really necessary? Is it worth firing a teacher?
Messrs. Graden and Heim (I hope you read this blog too),
Having read interviews, emails and blogs from you two on behalf of your constituents (the SAS and SEA) I urge you both to take a hard look at where your true interests lie. Both sides are posturing and doing a nice (yet unproductive) job of putting on a show for your constituents.
Now is the time where true leaders would sit down with each other in honest and open communication to work together and address the challenges that face the Saline school system.
As you both know, there is not a parent or teacher that doesn’t, in some way, already sacrifice to advance their child’s education. And, as long as you two are honest with your teams about the greater levels of sacrifices that will be required to (at a minimum) maintain the high quality and diverse education provided to the students at SAS then together you’ll move forward to eliminate the roadblocks. The tough part isn’t identifying where you each think the other side should give in but rather, working with your own teams to determine what can be done without. It’s possible that together you could build a new model of how a school district in Michigan can succeed but I don’t think that path is the one you are on right now!
At the end of the day, Saline is still in much better shape than most districts in the state. Perhaps you two (or your representatives) should stop by a few districts from around the state to see how other districts have been doing without for years (even decades) for a some new ideas or a fresh perspective.
It’s easy to point fingers and point out what others ‘should do’.
Easy is not the way of a leader.
Some ideas I have heard around the community this week…..
1) preserve the necessities: math, reading, science, phys ed, music, art, business & economics, government & history, languages
2) cut back on administrators’ salaries
3) cut back on non-essential computer use to lessen the cost of “upkeep & repair”
4) use “online” course ONLY with a certified Saline teacher AND only as an option for those student whom study best in this way
Classes suggested for online:
a) social studies
b) foreign language
c) history
5) Create a business plan (or have the student create one) for having school auditoriums rented out at least 75% that students are not using them.
6) Close the Union School. Does the board of education really need its own building and really need one of that size? Surely room can be found in a different building for these needs
7) Have Heritage and Harvest schools swap roles to decrease busing between Heritage and the High School.
More will be posted here as they are heard. Keep talking. Keep listening. Keep working toward educating our children for everyone’s future.