Here is the budget sheet that was passed out today at the Budget Committee Meeting. This is what the committee approved to be the recommendation for 2010-2011. There are 29 cuts, a clear majority coming from the teachers and classrooms.
Click the image to view larger on-screen or to print.
Please add comments if you attended the meeting or have additional input.
This is a really sad day for DeKalb schools.
142 comments:
They left Fernbank untouched, but will be increasing class sizes, not contributing to the teachers' retirement fund and cutting teachers salaries by 6+ percent. They are only cutting magnet points by 20, meaning that they are still spending over 3 million dollars a year on magnet schools. Fernbank cost estimates range from 4 to 7 million dollars a year. Cutting these two programs alone would allow the system to either not increase class sizes quite as much OR decrease the salary cut to teachers.
Of course, they could certainly find a way to layoff another few dozen central office employees. Plus they left the Canine unit budget untouched. Also, it looks to me like the Montessori program is still costing 1/2 million dollars.
It is my understanding that nearly every high school in DeKalb will have fewer teachers next year which means less options for our students. Who needs 8 credits (block schools) when there won't be 8 classes to take?
It is time to let the Board know that this is unacceptable. They have proposed a budget that totally impacts teachers and students while leaving the central office with way to many employees.
We can't wait to replace them as the damage is being done now.
You think you got poor support before? It's about to get a whole lot worse - 18 CTSS positions gone.
And now 200 paras, plus a possible 61 more. I pray I get laid off.
No retirement....and no Social Security...law suit waiting to happen.
Did anyone actually go to today's budget meeting? I know that the Montessori and Evansdale folks had been going but given they got what they wanted last week, I am not sure they are interested any longer.
I would like to hear what the Board had to say about the retirement/social security issue.
I would also like to understand why the board is only cutting 100K from Montessori if it is suppose to be revenue neutral?
How are they edging around social security and the TSA? Do't they have to contribute to one or the other?
I don't understand this payment for Academy of Lithonia. Wasn't that school closed by the state for poor performance?
"State shuts down embattled Lithonia charter
school for poor performance"
The State Board of Education shut down the Academy of Lithonia Charter School in June for poor performance, revoking the charter it held for about eight years, a state official said.
The school on Evans Mill Road has served students in kindergarten through seventh grade since it was granted its charter in 2001, according to state documents. State data show students at the school performed dramatically below students countywide and statewide.
“In its initial charter term, [Academy of Lithonia] struggled academically, yet the charter school was eventually granted renewal in 2006 with a condition and expectation of improved students achievement,” a Georgia Department of Education recommendation to the state board said. “[Academy of Lithonia] has continued to struggle academically and has failed to meet many of the performance-based goals required under the charter.”
Academy officials could not be reached, and a woman at the school directed all calls to the school’s parent company, Academy of America, based in Michigan. Company officials were on vacation and unavailable for comment, she said.
I mean, why did they have a $2.2 million payment budgeted for a school that has been shut down by the state?
Just read from a teacher on AJC blog that DCSS is now handing out bogus evals to get rid of teachers.
Gwinnett is doing that. Are you sure they mentioned DeKalb. The Gwinnett BOE has called a special meeting next week to talk about it.
Yes.
"Bogus evals and setups are happening in Dekalb now, too."
This is in the post about Cobb's deficit.
Forget 200, 150, whatever. The core issue is the 9 that need to lose their jobs.
Fernbank Science center is likely to lose positions through Central Office cuts, so they are not untouched.
Why are we still paying for Academy of Lithonia or Montessori??
Marshall Orson and Ernest Brown, please run again for school board!
Here's the link to the article about Gwinnett
http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/gwinnett-to-consider-non-407502.html
Although it says they are cutting loose teachers for "performance-related issues", they are also "hiring close to 200 teachers for next year, primarily those with specialties in math, science and special education."
The payment for the Academy of Lithonia was cut - but I wonder why it was in the budget at all...??? Is this school still functioning - did they somehow get another chance to operate??? Either the decision has been made to shut it down, or this was already an item that should not have been in the budget whatsoever. (Which is a whole 'nother accounting/budgeting issue.)
Several times today during the meeting it was mentioned how many teachers were being laid off by other Metro districts. There was no mention of how many teaching positions DeKalb is cutting since they’re listed as “eliminating points” on the budget sheet. Each point represents a teacher.
Here’s my calculation of those reductions with the numbers from the sheet. I used the $65,000 figure for each salary since that is what Dr. Lewis has stated several times was the cost per teacher and the savings amount they list used that amount for items 5, 12, and 13.
5. Reduce magnet points by 20 across all schools - 20 teachers
12. Eliminate 8 DECA points - 8
13. Eliminate 8 Single Gender points - 8
19. Schools with 7-Period Day (Move from 2 planning periods to 1) - 37
20. Eliminate Targeted Assistance Points - 61
26. Reduce Small School Points; Reduce Specials; Consolidate /Itinerant - 49
38. Increase Class Sizes by 2 Students Per Class - 215
Total 398 teaching positions.
I do not see mention of the 6.25% salary reduction that was mentioned as a possibility in the new contracts. Does this budget proposal assume that salaries stay at the current level?
The salary reduction is reflected in the furloughs.
Be clear - the chart sites SAVINGS in the budget. I think the Lithonia Charter reflects a SAVINGS that the system does not have to pay next year.
Why was choice transportation left untouched? This makes me sick - cut the teachers pay, cut support positions, but by golly don't touch those precious magnets and the 2.5 million to get children to out of neighborhood schools. Please, what is wrong with these people?????
Great research data MG - good point - that "points" are actually "teachers"!
19. Schools with 7-Period Day (Move from 2 planning periods to 1) - 37
I think this number may actually end up higher. How did you figure it?
So, Lithonia Charter is still operating in the 2009-10 school year? Even though the state shut it down in June, 2009? Shouldn't it be off the budget already for this year??? Why would it be in a 2010-11 budget at all? (Unless, of course, it is open for business despite the state's shut-down.)
"The State Board of Education shut down the Academy of Lithonia Charter School in June for poor performance, revoking the charter it held for about eight years, a state official said."
Shifting job elimination / increased class size from the classroom to the central office would result in an estimated reduction of central office staff by 458 positions (using an estimated average salary of $50,000 which is less than the $77,000 average reflected on line 1 of the Options to Decrease Expenses. The breakdown is:
*line 19 - 2 planning periods to 1 - 48 positions @ $50,000 would represent the $2,405,000 estimated savings.
*Line 28 - eliminate 200 paraprofessionals - 130 central office positions @$50,000 would represent the $6,500,000 estimated savings.
*Line 38 - increase 2 students per class - 280 central office positions @ $50,000 would represent the estimated $14,000,000 savings.
458 positions is a small percentage of the 8,000+ Administration and Support positions.
How dense can you be? The board just DOES NOT GET IT! The board members need an education. And DCSS teachers need to educate them on how not to treat your most valuable employees.
Cere,
I took the amount listed on the budget sheet as the savings - $2,405,000 and divided by $65,000.
It's how I calculated all the items that didn't list numbers of points.
MG
#11 is the elimination of the choice transportation.
I recently had several seasoned teachers come to me and I saw for myself their evaluations and I was sicken. I really did have to take a trip to the bathroom.
I know these teachers. I have been in their classes and observed them. I have team taught with them. Some of them have been teachers of the year. The evaluations are lies. The school systems are giving NI for two years in a row so they can get rid of high paid, teachers due to big salaries due to degrees or years of experience. I saw these evaluation myself in person with my own eyes or else I would not believe it. I know these are false evaluations. This is happening. I am sick because of it. This is a way for the school officials to lower their payroll and get young staff for a lower price and it allows them to discriminate against individuals over 40.
It is a sad time for educators. Teachers need a bill of rights.
I sincerely hope this is not happening in Dekalb County Schools. This is not the county I personally saw the evalutions.
@ momofthree 9:50 pm
There are 8,800 admin and support positions. Out of 15,859 total employees, only 7,031 are teachers and media specialists and DCSS is getting ready to reduce that to 6,631.
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/superintendent/files/795BF9ED3F3D479294A6DD1DE042E5C9.pdf
I'm so thankful my child finished with DeKalb County schools years ago. When I moved to Atlanta in 1971, DCSS was the top school system in the state. It so hard to believe it has fallen to the lowest scores in the metro area.
I would never send my child to DeKalb schools now. I would move or send him to a private school.
Oh! You did say that, MG - duh! Maybe I'd better go to bed - these numbers are hurting my brain and making me sad...
@ Anonymous 7:26 pm
Fernbank has 66 employees - 37 admin and support (only one of them works part time in the Central Office) and 29 teachers. Their total salary cost is $3,941,401. Benefits are approximately 25% or $985,350. This is a total of $4,926,751. Add in the physical plant costs of the building, labs, greenhouse, and forest and the thousands of buses that come to Fernbank daily and cost soars to $7,000,000.
The money spent on Fernbank would allow us to keep or hire 125 Masters Level science teachers.
Students get 1 or 2 visits to Fernbank (many get no visits) and the SST program serves 180 students a year.
Which would parents like to have - 125 more Masters Level science teachers in the schools teaching students day after day after day or Fernbank?
Fernbank would survive with grants and partnerships, however it probably wouldn't have 55% of its personnel in admin and support. Science instruction doesn't just need to happen once or twice a year for students. It needs to happen every single day.
Notice the reduction of points for small schools and special areas which probably means schools that have one art or music teacher may be sharing between two. Once again, childrens exposure to the arts is minimal. Just another cut to the "school house" that wasn't supposed to happen. Premier Dekalb has a lot of catching up to do because right now they are going backwards fast!
Word on the street is that Callaway has resurfaced to run Lithonia Charter
I certainly may be dense - however I am not willing to resign myself that this budget represents the end to the discussion. DeKalb residents must continue to let the BOE know that this budget alternative is unacceptable. The last place we should take reductions is on the front-line. The classroom and teaching environment must not be undermined any further.
They do not have to contribute to either social security or the TSAI. In the late 70's Dekalb opted out of social security. At that time they decided to have a board TSAI (tax-sheltered annuity-403B). This is optional. Many school systems across the country only contribute to their state's teacher retirement system. We have been fortunate all of these years to have additional funding for retirement. They have put the equivalent percentage into the TSAI program and have encouraged employees to match it which would have made up for what they would have received in social security. Since we are penalized when we retire by the Windfall Tax, I would much rather have been paying into social security all of these years.
We ask the Board to please dig deeper and reconsider the cuts that will shut down technology in the elementary school. Cutting media clerks, paras, and technology positions (18) will result in limited technology functioning. The librarians and the above personnel work as a team to keep the computer labs and computer programs rolling every day by assisting teachers and students. How will we continue to keep everything working---Compass Learning, the Georgia OAS CRCT prep site, Discovery Education, Accelerated Reader and Math, school web sites, and many other technology activities.
If you look at the Georgia Open Records you will find many other areas that can be examined for cuts before cutting the people who work with the students directly at the local school.
Figures include:
562 employees at a cost of $28,800,437 in salaries and $228,868 in travel expenses.
Job titles for the above include:
79 BUSINESS SERV SECRETARY/CLERK
And CENTRAL SUPPORT/DATA CLERK
17 DEPUTY/ASSOC/ASSISTANT SUPT
46 GENERAL ADMIN SECRETARY/CLERK
48 GRADUATION SPECIALIST
51 INFORMATION SERVICES CLERK
219 MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES
(over $5.5 million)
42 OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL PROVIDER
20 PLANT OPERATIONS SEC/CLERK
93 STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
(over $6.5 million)
26 SUPPORT SERV SECRETARY/CLERK
In addition, the salaries for many clerical staff are larger than that of our classroom teachers.
The salary schedule for clerical needs to be revised and brought back to reality.
The teachers would be better off working as clerical staff at the county...
Anon "Word on the street is that Callaway has resurfaced to run Lithonia Charter"
See: Another charter school to open doors in Lithonia this year
This is going in the wrong direction. This is a full scale attack on our teachers and our students' education.
I just wrote the Board and will do so every day. The Central Office cuts should be three times what it is. I think the committee has been led down this path by the Executive Administration. Instead of allowing Ms. Tyson to cherry pick programs, the Budget Committee should have directed every administrative department, including School Choice, FSC, Transportation, HR, MIS, Instruction, etc. to submit a plan to eliminate 10% of their budget.
And YES, every Fernbank Science certified teacher should be a full time teacher in a classroom next year.
According to a meeting I attended, DeKalb County is the only county in the state of GA where the teachers receive a special government funded annuity in addition to teacher's retirement.
I think DCSS needs to eliminate the TSA for all new hires and they should pay into social security. I'm not sure how they fix the issue with current employees.
DCSS is going to fight to keep TSA, as they don't pay new employees anything until after their 3rd year and the amount is lower than Social Security. It will take a law suit on the part of the teachers for this to be changed. They got away with not paying one year, why not another?
Please clarify: are media clerks the media educators or the assistants? Both are very important but I thought media clerks were, essentially, "paras" in the media center.
Media clerks are the assistants who assist the librarian. This frees the librarian to read to the students, assist them on their projects etc. There is an open schedule which the state mandates. Different classes sign up for various activities, which are excellent. My students have been going since January and learning about a different library resource each week.
@ Anonymous 11:40 pm
I'm a retired teacher who has a substantial TSA because I contributed to my personal account and in addition I have my Board account. Even though I contributes for 15 years to Social Security, my Social Security will be cut 60% due to the Windfall Tax. I was around when teachers in DCSS voted out of Social Security.
If I were still teaching in DCSS and the TSA was gone, I would be going to the ODE and asking why teachers can't vote themselves back into Social Security.
Contributing to Social Security is infinitely more expensive and non-negotiable for DCSS than contributing to the TSA. I have a feeling they would back off that one in a heartbeat if they thought employees were seriously considering going back on Social Security.
While it's true DCSS does not have to contribute to the TSA, if employees go back on Social Security, they will have no choice. A lawyer needs to research this and see what it takes to get teachers and DCSS employees back on Social Security. One of the reasons the Windfall tax was passed was to "encourage" systems to go back on Social Security.
Thank you, Anon. 9:06
Government agencies are mandated to only contribute to a state or federal retirement program. Some school systems opt to also pay into social security. Decatur City, Rockdale, and Henry Counties are some of those systems. In the past 30 years Dekalb County opted out of Social Security and voluntarily choose to fund a Board Tax Sheltered Annuity Program which starts at the third year. Of course, as we all know, this has been eliminated for now.
Many teachers choose to contribute to their own tax-sheltered annuity. This contribution is a 403B and is directly taken out of their paycheck. When a teacher retires, this additional 403B can help make up the difference of the decrease in salary at retirement. salary. If a teacher works 30 years, he/she receives approximately 60% of their salary.
A lawsuit needs to happen to get DCSS employees back on Social Security. Where is the ODE on all this? They collect fess from thousands of DCSS employees. Why haven't they hired a lawyer to look into DCSS employees having the right to vote on Social Security?
DCSS employees voted out of Social Security in 1978. I was one of those who voted.
I believe the employees have to vote to bring the system back in.
IMO - they should vote Social Security back in. They have nothing to lose and a substantial amount to gain.
Cut consultants (the county is lousy with them!), programs (America's Choice etc. = worthless!) and central office (high pay, low accountability, low performing). Get a less expensive grade book program (it is my understanding esis cost more than previous programs). Get rid of transportation to optional schools (if you want your kid to go to a special school, fine, but you get them there).
All of these things would save money (lots...especially ditching the expensive "silver bullet" type programs that do nothing but suck up money and time and are obviously purchased as some sort of political favor or future job scheme). Trust me...these things (e.g. high schools that work, SIOP, and especially AC, are a joke)
Why are there 93 staff development specialists?
During WWII at the Battle of the Bulge, the desperate American officers sent every available man to the front- cooks, clerks, whatever- because it was necessary. That's where Dekalb is today. We need folks in the classroom. Unfortunately, the system continues to allow many of its biggest guns to hang out in a variety of non-teaching support positions, which do little good for the students, cost a lot of money, and generally irritate teachers. Get these folks into a classroom at teacher salaries. They get to keep a job, the county saves money, and kids get reduced class sizes. These are desperate times and we need everyone on the front lines.
Wait a minute! Why would the choice of retirement contributions be Tax Sheltered Annuities or Social Security? Folks, what am I missing? These are two different retirement arms!
A teachers' replacement for Social Security (the reason they don't contribute to, nor will they receive SS) is the State Teacher's Retirement System.
A Tax Sheltered Annuity should NOT be compared to Social Security. A TSA is equivalent to a 401K, isn't it?
What am I missing? Seems to me we're comparing apples and oranges.
If that's the case, then here's my question: does the Dekalb BOE contribute to the teachers' State Teachers' Retirement System? THAT's the real legal question I have.
It they don't contribute to the TSA that, in my opinion, is the same as a business owner no longer contributing to an employees' 401K. However, if an employer does not contribute to an employee's Social Security account, the employee is forced to make up the difference.
Do I make sense?
As far as the 7 period day issue goes - I think that if they are going to make this rule, we should demand that the board push this 6/7 period day on all high schools. It's only fair - and just think of the savings!!!
If we save $2.4 million by implementing this in 4 high schools, it seems we could save at least $9 million more by going to this format at the other 18 high schools!
I am a retired teacher that voted to get out of Social Security. Until this year the school system has been contributing the amount that would have gone into Social Security to a tax shelter annuity. Teachers were also encouraged to at least put the amount that would have gone to Social Security from their paycheck into a separate tax shelter annuity.You could also put a greater percentage in which was wonderful. I am glad that we got out. I currently have a lot of money in the account the school system contributed and my personal account. When we voted to get out, we were unsure about what was happening with Social Security- even now they are talking about delaying the age you can get it. The money we have in our accounts is ours and not the federal government. I do think it is terrible that DeKalb did not contribute this school year. I do know that Gwinnett County schools contribute to a separate account for their students. Back in the 70's most metro school systems voted to get out Social Security.There was not penalty back then. I guess it would take a vote to get back in.
Thanks, Anon 10:19. But do you also have a State Teacher's Retirement account? And did DCSS contribute to it? Do they still contribute for current teachers?
And do non-teaching staff have Social Security accounts? I'm just trying to understand the benefits included in DCSS employees' packages of salaries and benefits.
What does a 25% reduction on JV athletics mean? Does anyone have details of this cut? I am a coach in Dekalb and would like to be informed on this cut.
Has anyone see the list of the 150 positions that will be cut from Central Office? Have these been determined yet?
Lets clear up State Teachers Retirement System. I do not have my check right in front of me or I would tell you the exact amount. However, I do know that approximately 300-400 is taken out of my check month and always has been taken out for TRS. This money goes into a State account for all teachers and administrators in Georgia. You have to teach so many years to draw money out. You get a 2 % return on each year worked. For instance: If I work 30 years and then buy 5 years in I can draw 70% of my salary at retirement. If I retire with 30 years then I draw 60% of my salary at retirement. I can draw less and if I die my spouse will continue to draw money.
I do not know all the details but I hope this helps. The school system does not pay for this. The teachers and administrators pay and it is administered by the State Teachers Retirement System.
I also pay money monthy in a TSA account, which I pay in. Fulton County does not give me a penny. Dekalb was using social security money to invest into this account for teachers. However teachers also invested there own money into this account so it also is not just money that came from Dekalb County social security benifits money paid for by Dekalb.
TSA was an option used for the school system instead of paying social security. However, now the school board did not pay into the TSA last year or did not pay the teachers' social security benifits to them and they promised they would be paid back this summer. Look at the chart again. They are planning on lying to the teachers right in front of our faces and not paying them back their social security benifits promised. Look close, and then doing away with part of the program.
This is a lie to the teachers and a lawsuit waiting to happen. I heard the school super promise myself to the teachers at a school board meeting. I will testify for the teachers of Dekalb. The school board all set there and all promised to pay the teachers back. Watch to see what happens on this one and if they all lie to the teachers of Dekalb. This will be horrible and I will not support any board member on this decision.
Deeper cuts need to be made at the school house and the school system needs to get rid of the block schedule and lay off those extra teachers. We are not an employment service in times like these. I do not want to see anyone lose there job. However, times are tough and the money is not there and tough decisions have to be made and they should be made to benifit the children. Data indicates that the block schedule is not benifiting the children nor our budget.
Board members do the right thing.
Why doesn't Ms. Tyson take 200 or 300 of those 1,239 administrators and put them in the schools to teach our kids?
How about taking those 80+ Instructional Coaches that are paid $90,000+ a year in salary and benefits ($8,000,000 total) and let them teach our kids?
The Instructional Coaches are paid for by Title 1 federal funds (salary - not the $2,000,000 in benefits - we DCSS taxpayers pay for that).
The Instructional Coaches absolutely can be Title 1 math or Title 1 reading teachers teaching small groups of struggling students. This was the case in the past in DCSS and it is the case in many other school systems currently.
Or the money could hire literally hundreds of reading and math tutors to work with struggling math and reading students. That's where the Title 1 money used to go. Directly for teachers and tutors working with students in Title 1 schools.
What a waste of taxpayer money Dr. Lewis got us into with these ineffective non-teaching positions. Ask your child's teacher what they think of these positions.
And let's not forget the 13 Literacy coaches who cost the county over $1,000,000 a year and don't teach any of our kids.
Write your BOE members and ask why we pay $9,000,000 a year in salary and benefits for 93 Coaches (80 Instructional and 13 Literacy) and they never teach a single child.
Please don't let them tell you its because of Title 1 federal rules. That's simply not true
They have not touched the Instructional Coaches and the Literacy Coaches. The teachers say these employees drain valuable instructional time from the classroom with constant meetings and paperwork. How shameful that Ms. Tyson and the BOE would let this slide because they are supporting Dr. Lewis's decisions.
I know our Board members are not forthcoming with the information they use to make decisions (the famous "there's a lot you don't know about..."), but I wonder if the Administration has ever actually given them a breakdown of CO positions; e.g. position title, what the person does (in enough detail to clearly explain it), who they serve and what the salary is.
I'm thinking this is the sort of thing Johhny Brown got when he began to purge CO.
If the Board members do not have this, they have no basis whatsoever to make any budget decisions. I have been on the board of several non-profits, which need to run lean, and we asked for this kind of information when we made decisions about operations.
@ Anon 10:57
No details have been released on the 150 positions at the central office. In fact, those folks have been told that they may have to wait up until mid May to find out if their job was cut.
I am a dedicated DeKalb educator with almost 30 years experience. I am probably owed thousands of comptime hours by the county but I have cheated my own family for years and worked many hours for free because it is what we do for children....
In a previous post you said,
"Media clerks are the assistants who assist the librarian. This frees the librarian to read to the students, assist them on their projects etc."
I can clarify this even more:
In addition to the above, the librarians teach full research lessons aligned with the Georgia Performance Standards and the CRCT in collaboration with the teachers using smartboards and devices purchased just for the libraries. They serve as Web Masters and are designated as copyright and Internet consultants for the school, handlenni school photo shoots and filming of events, manage equipment and repairs for classrooms including closed circuit television, and help to keep many technology programs running by doing the maintenance, troubleshooting, student data input, inservices, and training that teachers do not have time to do. The media clerk serves almost as a second librarian in assisting with these tasks and keeping the daily functions. Without the clerks, the librarians will pretty much be left to instantly do the work of two people and will not be able to impact instruction as they are employed to do.
Most of the 59 clerks and 18 CTSS's will probably be taken from elementary. Just visit an elementary library on a busy day and observe the many things going on at one time. If more attention was given to this level of education we would not need graduation coaches.
Library assistants are an important part of the elementary school (don't know about middle or high school). They free the librarian up to teach the children. The librarians that I have encountered at DCSS are valuable tools and teachers need to be able to access the resources that they have to offer the teachers themselves and the children.
It appears that no one making the budget understands what they do. There are many other places to cut people.
Look below at the salaries for 81 Instructional Coaches who are certified teachers. They are located in the schools and do not teach a single student. These are the non-teaching teachers funded through Title 1 (salary only, not benefits) that should be teaching students. Ms. Tyson proposed no cuts here, nor does she propose they teach students.
To get these figures for yourself, go to the state Salary and Travel audit and data sort on Staff Development Specialist (that is the state classification for DCSS Instructional Coaches):
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $99,693.38
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $98,956.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $98,715.44
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $97,341.88
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $97,272.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $94,448.30
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $91,057.03
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $90,875.01
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $89,512.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $89,151.13
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $88,226.83
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $87,462.03
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $87,061.76
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $87,019.94
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $86,740.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $86,520.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $86,380.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $86,088.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $85,891.40
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $85,450.01
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $84,769.50
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $84,715.01
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $84,555.70
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $84,505.70
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $84,351.65
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $83,780.70
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $83,399.06
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $83,212.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $83,062.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $83,050.70
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $83,050.70
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $82,992.62
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $81,843.57
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $81,099.92
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $80,122.37
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $79,381.98
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $78,956.07
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $78,256.12
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $77,685.65
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $76,956.12
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $76,869.74
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $76,053.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $75,553.23
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $75,482.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $75,369.31
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $75,177.24
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $75,027.15
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $74,723.94
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $74,374.35
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $73,864.93
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $73,334.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $72,956.44
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $72,811.44
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $72,811.44
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $72,811.44
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $72,654.49
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $71,501.93
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $71,401.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $70,205.54
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $69,431.81
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $68,992.91
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $68,797.91
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $68,727.16
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $68,692.91
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $68,524.72
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $67,304.50
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $66,899.28
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $64,541.50
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $63,747.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $63,515.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $63,344.48
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $62,756.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $61,902.59
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $61,051.70
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $59,590.71
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $59,575.59
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $56,352.98
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $52,392.00
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $49,696.50
STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $47,533.00
Total salary: $6,169,962 (Title 1 funds - our federal tax dollars)
Benefits (25%): $1,542,490 (DCSS local tax dollars)
Look below at the salaries for 13 Liteacy Coaches who are certified teachers. They are also located in the schools and do not teach a single student. Just like the 81 Instructional Coaches, these are the non-teaching teachers funded through Title 1 (salary only, not benefits) that should be teaching students. Ms. Tyson proposed no cuts to the Literacy Coaches, nor does she propose they teach students.
To get these figures for yourself, go to the state Salary and Travel audit and data sort on Literacy Coach (that is the state classification for DCSS Literacy Coaches):
LITERACY COACH $83,187.59
LITERACY COACH $75,851.00
LITERACY COACH $75,649.05
LITERACY COACH $74,126.50
LITERACY COACH $67,926.00
LITERACY COACH $67,673.00
LITERACY COACH $66,565.38
LITERACY COACH $58,749.61
LITERACY COACH $57,779.79
LITERACY COACH $53,679.23
LITERACY COACH $52,772.00
LITERACY COACH $52,220.90
LITERACY COACH $49,172.87
Total salary: $835,352 (paid for by Title 1 - our federal tax dollars)
Benefits (25%): $208,838 (paid for by DCSS local tax dollars)
48 Graduation Coaches - more non-teaching certified teachers who do not teach students.
Don't let Ms. Tyson and the BOE tell you they are responsible for the higher graduation rate. Our teachers have come under tremendous pressure to inflate grades and not fail any student. They now have to let students make up any work - no matter how late. The rules are designed to get our graduation rates up - not the academic instruction. Very clever on the administration's part.
Our graduation rates have improved at the same time our SATs scores have declined. SATs are national tests given outside DCSS buildings with proctors.
No cuts to Graduation Coaches and Ms. Tyson again does not ask them to teach students.
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $59,457.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $73,456.05
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $7,888.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $53,530.50
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $8,080.50
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $61,270.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $75,482.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $85,842.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $54,371.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $62,849.80
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $66,659.40
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $79,229.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $56,912.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $63,077.26
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $47,387.75
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $67,002.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $82,200.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $53,766.85
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $71,725.88
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $55,756.18
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $47,711.18
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $53,915.37
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $75,482.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $81,135.01
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $62,756.50
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $32,342.63
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $89,237.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $63,122.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $65,175.50
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $64,880.01
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $55,792.47
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $47,169.70
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $72,638.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $52,241.18
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $75,482.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $66,679.62
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $61,550.00
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $68,390.26
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $50,626.12
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $27,554.96
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $46,471.60
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $47,711.18
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $54,034.29
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $60,653.65
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $47,711.18
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $52,747.55
GRADUATION SPECIALIST $62,545.00
Total salary: $2,771,699
Benefits (25): $692,924
I'm sure you can all come up with some creative suggestions here:
The BOE has created a committee to name the MIC and we need your assistance. Here are three names that have been suggested:
DeKalb Administration and Instructional Center
DeKalb Schools Administration and Instructional Center
DeKalb County Gateway to Education Center
Use the email address below to provide feedback on these suggested names. Also submit any name you would like to suggest. The deadline for submitting your feedback is Wednesday, March 24.
Email feedback and suggestions to
mic-naming-committee@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
I want to correct some statements about the state Teacher's retirement system. Every teacher, college professor, school system employee in GA is required to participate in the state TRS. In very simplified terms, teachers contribute about 5% of their pay to the program. But their employers contribute more. For FY09, employers contributed about twice the level of contributions from employees. "Employers" are state and county governments so that means it is the taxpayers who are helping fund the retirement program.
The state invests the funds in a way to generate sufficient return to cover all the benefits paid out. If the state screws this up (as has happened in CA and some other locations) then the taxpayers are again stuck with coming up with the funds to keep the program solvent.
The state TRS is a "defined benefit" program. This means that teachers are guaranteed a fixed retirement benefit. Upon qualifying to draw retirement benefits, teachers receive the benefit for life. It is based on years of service and the highest pay received in any 24 consecutive month period before retirement.
It is NOT like an IRA, 403B or 401K. In these type of plans, an individual (and some employers) contribute monies to an individual's plan. The individual often directs the investment and the individual bears the risk of the investment.
The state TRS also has provisions for survivor benefits in case of death and teachers can designate beneficiaries.
This is a higly simplified summary and the regulations are complex.
As Ella noted, the retirement benefit is the most significant benefit of all - something that no longer exists in the private sector. The DCSS Bd sponsored "annuity" is icing on the cake.
@ Anonymous 1:10
You are right in that state and DCSS dollars go into funding Teacher's retirement. However, teachers accept less in salary in order to achieve a secure retirement so it really is a trade off.
As institutions that care for and teach our children, schools are best operated with the lowest turnover possible.
Teachers produce the workers who will one day treat us as doctors, advise us as lawyers and pay the taxes for our Social Security and Medicare.
Two of the most important keys to student success in school are stability and continuity. Stable homes strive to provide this for their children as well. Stable schools are an important component, and they become even more important for children who do not have stable home environments. The most successful schools are not those that change teachers constantly, but those that have a stable faculty working year after year with students.
An important societal covenant that we have with teachers is that they will serve for many years at lower pay, but will have a stable retirement. This helps ensure stability and continuity for children.
During this economic crisis TRS (Teachers Retirement System) returns declined. Dr. Lewis and the BOE were required to put another .25% into TRS. They did not raise taxes. Rather they suspended step increases for teachers.
For the last 5 years, DCSS has experienced an enormous teacher turnover which has proved and is proving devastating for students so the societal covenant is being frayed and broken. Conditions in DCSS schools have become so bad that even the lure of a stable retirement is not enough to keep the same employees teaching our children.
Ms. Tyson and the BOE don't dare publish the teacher turnover rate because it is so out of line with the national rate even comparing us to school systems with similar demographics and income levels.
TRS is important in reducing teacher turnover as it stabilized the learning environment for students. The problem is that in DCSS we have come to a situation in which most of our employees are not teachers yet they are participating in TRS, and yes, we taxpayers are footing the bill.
I don't think any taxpayer begrudges retirement costs for the 7,000 (soon to be 6,600) teachers who instruct our children every day because we want to ensure stability for the students. However, DCSS is now in the situation where turnover among the non-teaching ranks is minimal while the turnover among teachers is phenomenal in DCSS.
Paying retirement costs at 9.25% for 8,800 non-teaching personnel (not to speak of the astronomical Health Care benefits) will eventually break the DeKalb School System. Many observers would argue it's already broken.
We must:
1. Cut admin and support personnel dramatically
2. Increase teaching personnel
3. Decrease the teacher turnover rate
Dr. Lewis broke it, and Ms. Tyson and the BOE members have shown they have no will to put it back together again.
Well said. A great explanation of TRS. The board TSA annuity, 403B is icing on the cake. And the county can not be sued for stopping the board tax sheltered annuity when it was over and above.
Thanks to all of you for clearing up the State Teacher's Retirement (STRS) vs. Tax Sheltered Annuity (TSA) confusion for me. I thought that DeKalb had somehow avoided paying into the STRS which, I thought, would be illegal since they also do not pay into Social Security for the teachers. As I had thought, STRS is to teachers what Social Security is to other professions.
Therefore, it still boggles my mind how funds that used to be paid to Social Security were then paid to a Tax Sheltered Annuity? Again, a TSA is NOT the same as Social Security or STRS. It is a retirement investment vehicle like a 401K, right?
The staff development specialists originally were paid out of federal grant money. Last year when the county received additional stimulus money some of it was used to hire even MORE staff development specialists. There are the people that come around and check your bulletin boards and hold worthless grade level meetings during specials. This position has really angered so many of the teachers. The county still is paying their benefits and funding their TRS.
The county can not use federal grant money and stimulus money and pay for classroom teachers.
Song Cue
That is right.
@ Anonymous 2:39 pm and SongCue 2:41 pm
The "federal" grant that pays for the Staff Development Specialists (known as Instructional Coaches in DCSS lingo) and Literacy Coaches is Title 1 money. Title 1 money cannot be used for regular education classroom teachers, but it most certainly can be used to pay special teachers to teach students.
For example, in the 80s and 90s Title 1 money was used to fund Title 1 Math teachers and Title 1 Reading teachers (that was their Title - Title 1 teacher) in every Title 1 elementary school.
The Title 1 reading and math teachers taught small classes of students struggling in math and/or reading. Intense instruction to "catch those students up" was what Title 1 funds were used for.
I taught regular ed in a Title 1 school. I was grateful to have the Title 1 teacher, a certified professional, to help my struggling math students. She taught small groups of 10 or 12 students so they could get the help they needed before they went to Middle School.
Pam Speaks, BOE member, was the Director of Title 1 in 2004. Ask her. Ask any "older" elementary teacher.
Dr. Lewis phased the direct instruction of students by Title 1 teachers out of the schools. He did not choose to use Title 1 funds to fund reading and math specialists to teach our struggling math and reading students in Title 1 schools. He chose to use the funds for non-teaching coaches in Title 1 schools.
Ms. Tyson does not want to use Title 1 funds to hire teachers for Title 1 schools who work with the most educationally needy students. She has made the choice to retain the Instructional Coach program.
Saying the funding for the Instructional Coaches will go away if not used for Instructional Coaches is not true. Dr. Lewis/Ms. Tyosn has a great amount of latitude in Title 1 funds expenditure.
I'm aware that teachers feel the Instructional Coaches are a drain on instructional time, but unless parents get involved and begin to complain, they will continue to negatively impact the classroom.
Perhaps parents need to begin to email Ms. Tsyon and the BOE to ask why our student achievement in Title 1 schools have not improved and in many instances gone down if these Instructional Coaches and Liieracy Coaches have been so effective.
@ SongCue 2:39 pm
When I voted as a DCSS employee to opt out of Social Security in 1978 it was with the promise that DCSS would take the 5% they paid into Social Security and channel it into an Board sponsored TSA. I was there as a teacher and I voted to opt out. DCSS kept up their end of the bargain until sometime in the 2000's.
I believe when Dr. Lewis came into power he took the Board TSA away from teachers who had less than 3 years with the county. Now DCSS wants to do away with it entirely.
That's fine, but teachers should be able to go back into Social Security. That's what the ODE needs to check into or I guess a teacher or other employee can do it on their own. ODE elections are coming up. Maybe you'll get some responses from the ODE regarding opting back into Social Security because it is an election year.
http://www.odegaenea.org/
What is the process to "Opt back into" Social Security? We voted in 1978, and it was a majority vote to opt out. Is it a majority vote to opt in. I'm retired. Believe me, you need as many financial legs as possible when you retire. Decatur City Schools among others pay Social Security as well as Teachers Retirement. The teachers pay into both systems. Of course the Decatur City BOE pays as well.
If teachers can get DCSS back into Social Security, Ms. Tyson and the BOE will not have an option not to fund your Social Security. They know Social Security costs them infinitely more (higher rates, pay for all employees, no choice but to pay). I suspect if they think they will have to go back to Social Security, they will find it cheaper to reinstate the TSA.
ODE is looking into the process of returning to Social Security. When the employees voted to opt out, it was a one way street, returning was not an option.
According to the preliminary research I've done, it is now possible to return. The question is what is the procedure.
I don't think there would be any problem getting a majority of the employees to vote to opt back in. The way things are now, those of us who worked outside DCSS and paid into Social Security for years will not see any of those benefits.
DCSS regularly loses teachers to other systems that do pay into Social Security. As long as the teacher has been in a system that pays SS for 5 years before they retire, the penalties do no apply.
It is amazing that para's are being cut yet we still have a "police department" that, while valued as a necessity, that costs over $11 million dollars a year. ESP's, in particularly para's, are an invaluable resource when utilized effectively in our schools. Many are better educated, formally, than certified staff and perform many duties that most of the public are not aware of or are appreciated by many in educational systems.
There are better ways to reduce costs without taking such a reckless and risky course. Many paraprofessionals are as dedicated to their students, schools, and communities as their colleagues. I bet a far greater percentage of these folks either live in the community where they work or are county residents.
Educational institutions are remiss in not doing more to recognize, encourage, and support these employees instead of treating them like chattel. Many ESP's have a greater degree of stability and maturity than is appreciated and provide a ready and capable pool of classroom professionals that make learning possible.
@ MG
If you worked in another system and paid into Social Security and then work and retire through DCSS, you will be penalized per the Windfall tax. I paid into Social Security for 15 years. For 7 years I paid into Social Security through DeKalb Schools. When I was in the business world for 8 years, I paid the maximum contribution.
My Social Security will be be cut approximately 60% because I retired from a system that doesn't pay into Social Security. There is a Social Security website that lets you calculate the penalty. That's how I know what my penalty will be.
I actually know some teachers who left DeKalb because they had a substantial amount in Social Security contributions and did not want to have a penalty imposed when they retired. So going back on Social Security would be extremely beneficial for personnel who came from systems who paid into Social Security.
I think Ms. Tyson and the BOE are playing with fire when they suspend the TSAs. If DCSS employees opt back into Social Security, taxpayers will be obligated for tens of millions more a year because they will have to pay at the current Social Security rate (not 1978 rates), they will have to pay from Day 1 of employment (not delay for the first 3 years of employment), and there will be no suspending of payments.
I thought there must be a way to opt back in. When the Windfall tax was passed, one of the reasons was to try to "encourage" school systems (and other non-profit systems that had opted out) to come back into Social Security.
Ms. Tyson and the BOE are incredibly shortsighted. I can hear them now saying there was no way they could anticipate this. Why could they just cut in the admin and support area which is "fat" beyond belief.
This just goes to show that Ms. Tyson and her advisers are very weak on analytical skills and not willing to do the complex data analysis necessary to balance the budget without impacting the classroom or future budgets. I can just see them chopping calculating the TSAs, chopping it off, and saying that's $28,000,000 off the budget.
I hope that the ODE forces an election on opting back into Social Security. I think it will happen - it's the smart way financially for all employees since Ms. Tyson and the BOE took away the TSA contribution. That's great that the ODE is looking into this.
I would advise all teachers to email the ODE and express their appreciation that their organization is moving forward with putting "opting back" into Social Security up for a vote. I'm sure the GAE and NEA can give them some help with this.
"As I had thought, STRS is to teachers what Social Security is to other professions."
That's not quite true. All state employees are required to pay into TRS and they then receive retirement benefits from the money they have paid into the system (this is not a free gift). But most state employees also pay into Social Security, so when they retire they get TRS and Social Security payments. DCSS either needs to contribute to a TSA or Social Security in my opinion. TSA is a cheaper option. They were paying in 5% to the Board TSA and I believe Social Security would cost them 8-9%.
Anon. 5:48 Thanks for further clarification. Sorry to be so dumb. In Ohio, for some reason, employees of school systems paid into STRS, not Social Security (our BOE contributed to our STRS). It was not both. But now I understand that we were a rare animal and that in other states teachers can pay into both.
On our own, we could also open TSAs or other savings instruments, but the BOE only contributed to STRS. I have no idea if that's still the case.
@5:11PM -- Something is really out of whack here. The school police department costs $11M yet we pay county taxes also to fund a police department.
If the voters want police presence in our schools shouldn't the county be providing it? They've already got the cars, training facilities, gang task forces, computer networks and such. They're set-up to police, we're set-up to teach (though some may argue).
Albeit we'll need to pay a bit more to the county for property tax to cover improved service in schools, but I am confident it'll be much lower than what we are paying to DCSS to keep an elitist dog brigade. Further those that we employ now are former DeKalb officers being paid VERY well for their service -- one asks: friends and family?
The school police department costs $11M yet we pay county taxes also to fund a police department.
Burglars broke into Rockbridge Elementary this morning. A school resource officer saw the group on surveillance video.
Who ya gonna call?
The school resource officer called the DeKalb County Police Department, who responded quickly and nabbed all 3 burglars.
What about the crack $11 million DCSS police department??? How many of them got the call and jumped into their DCSS-owned cars that they take home to be ready for a quick response to whatever?
Gwinnett County Schools with 150,000 students to our 100,000 has 49 Security personnel for a cost of $2,500,000 in salary and benefits. This is an average of $51,000 per Security employee.
DCSS has 218 Security employees at a cost of $12,500,000 in salary and benefits. This is an average of $57,300 per Security employee.
Does anyone feel that their child would be less safe in Gwinnett schools?
I do not believe the elementary schools even have Security officers. I think many of them are locked, you have to ring a bell, and the secretary comes to let you in.
If we only have around 40 middle and high schools, why do we have 218 Security personnel? I believe other school systems primarily staff the middle and high schools.
DCSS only has 143 schools in total! Why such excessive Security personnel numbers - and $12,500,000 a year. Unbelievable. The security employee's average salary and benefits at $57,000 are so much more than the average teacher. Where else would they get such a sweet deal? Only in DCSS. What are Ms. Tyson and the BOE thinking? No wonder our teachers are disgusted. No wonder we have such high teacher turnover.
Elementary teachers, weigh in here. Do you guys have a dedicated security person at your school?
My elementary school does not have a designated security person. Other elementary schools that I have visited don't either. Visitors must buzz the front office to be let in.
Isn't anyone concerned about the cuts being made to the schools? These are the individuals on the front line that care for your children each day. Their salaries are being cut. There TSA is being stopped. They will be teaching more students. There will be fewer support people in the schools. Isn't it clear that even the very, best educator will be impacted by that. If your family was facing all of these changes at one time, it would be very hard to handle. Staff in the schools are afraid to speak to anyone. If all the veterans leave the school, that will be a very side day.
So we have 143 schools - 82 do not even have security personnel. Our elementary schools have a "buzz in" system for goodness sake.
Let's get these facts straight:
1. We have 218 security personnel at a cost of $12,500,000 a year.
2. Gwinnett with 50% more students has 49 Security personnel at a cost of $2,500,000 a year.
3. DCSS pays on average $7,300 a year more per employee for our security personnel than Gwinnett.
Are Ms. Tyson and the BOE even capable of looking at these numbers? They have got to be the most inept group ever. Truly pitiful. How embarrassing to have these people running a billion dollar enterprise. They need to be sued for incompetence.
My elementary school is wide open. there is a buzzer, but it's not used.
Anon 7:17 about 70 percent of DCSS Police Dept. is from Atlanta P.D. not Dekalb Police Dept. Their chief is from Atlanta Police Dept. and she only will hire retired Atlanta Police officers who come in at the max pay scale. Dekalb Police officer don't apply because they know they won't be hired.
@ Anonymous 9:28 pm
Of course parents who are involved in their children's education are upset that their children's education is being shredded by Ms. Tyson and the BOE. They are filling the email boxes of the superintendent and the BOE, but that's not enough to overcome the entrenched special interest groups in DCSS.
Unfortunately, the most vulnerable students don't have the most vocal parents. And many of the most vocal involved parents have been pacified with special considerations and magnet programs.
For example, Fernbank Science Center has 29 teachers (and 37 admin and support personnel) and cost $7,000,000. Quite a few students in DCSS go to Fernbank Science Center every year, but only for one or two visits. The only consistent science instruction provided to students for this $7,000,000 center is the SST program which serves 180 students a year. The Fernbank community is a very wealthy and politically connected group. They lobbied hard for no changes to Fernbank because it is a beautiful area of their community, and it works so well for them and their children.
Huntley Hills magnet parents came out in full force at the BOE meetings. The BOE knows better than to touch Kittredge or Wadsworth.
Many of the high level administrators have their children in magnet programs in DCSS or have complete freedom to choose what DCSS schools to send their children. They are busy lobbying very hard with the BOE members who rely on them for advice to make sure the magnet programs stay intact.
Ms. Tyson grew the $20,000,000 a year MIS program so she's ultra protective of it.
Dr. Lewis founded and then grew the $7,000,000 a year Instructional coach program, the $1,400,000 a year springboard program, the $1,000,000 a year Literacy coach program, and the $8,000,000 dreaded America's Choice program. Dr. Lewis also grew the $12,000,000 219 employee Security detail.
Ms. Tyson is still relying on the person (Dr. Lewis) who recommended her to the BOE. Plus she has so little background and knowledge of instruction (2 years of teaching in the late 80s, 4 years as an Educational Specialist at IBM in the 90s, and the rest of her time at MIS), she would never make any changes that might cause waves or questions about her abilities. She didn't rise that fast to be school superintendent on no experience in instruction or business without being very political.
The groups of people in DCSS - parents and employees - who are organized and vocal and powerful are grabbing what they can as fast as they can and trying to nail it down for their children. It's partisan politics at its very nastiest.
Most parents of DCSS children do not have a focal point like these special interest groups do. The AJC has done what they can to publicize DCSS as the worst school system in Atlanta. This blog does what it can to let ordinary parents and teachers know the truth. There is just not the organization that is needed with a single objective to coalesce around. Our best hope is a new BOE and a new superintendent.
"about 70 percent of DCSS Police Dept. is from Atlanta P.D. not Dekalb Police Dept. Their chief is from Atlanta Police Dept. and she only will hire retired Atlanta Police officers who come in at the max pay scale. Dekalb Police officer don't apply because they know they won't be hired."
Anon 10:05, please tell me more about this. It is totally believable, as DCSS hiring is all about who you know. But please give so more details I can present to my BOE rep's.
Does anyone on the blog know any DeKalb officers who can verify this? And how are officers brought in at the highest pay rate?
The DCSS police dept. needs a very public and thorough personnel audit, performance audit and forensic audit.
Why target the Media Clerks, Paras and CTSSs in the schools. All of these individuals are not highly paid and all of them impact our children lives on a daily basis. The CTSS at my daughter's school came to our school after being laid off as an Executive in State government. Although he took a very high cut in salary, he has been a great asset to the staff and teachers in the school. The teacher's are very excited to have him there and the student's just gravitate to him in the hall's and when he has to come to their rooms to fix a computer problem.
In addition to keeping the school up and running technologically, he is assigned morning hall duty, lunch duty, afternoon bus duty and any other duty to keep the teachers teaching in their classroom. He is a very valuable support person and will be sorely missed if he is 1 of the 18 that is designated to be terminated because no one has the gall to terminate the staff with the very high salaries.
Someone said:
"Staff in the schools are afraid to speak to anyone."
Thanks to all of the parents who are speaking up on behalf of our students and staff. Please look at the Open Records Act and other salary lists that have been mentioned here and continue to press the Board to inquire.
We have heard that if a staff member speaks out in public, there are "repercussions and reprimands" that trickle down. It is an unspoken understanding.
So much money is wasted daily. We all know it and and can do nothing about it. Thanks for helping to save our schools.
Dr. Lewis grew personnel by over 1,500 in the first 4 years he headed DCSS as our student population decreased. Since we lost teacher positions between 2005 and 2009, that means that Dr. Lewis added over 1,500 in admin and support personnel.
Comparing the 2004 state Salary and Travel audit (I emailed a copy of it to Cerebration) which I downloaded from the Internet several years ago to the 2009 state Salary and Travel audit shows there are over 1,500 more DCSS employees in 2009 than there were in 2004, and considerably less of them are teachers. Dr. Lewis cut 275 teacher positions in 2009 (see DCSS website 2009 budget page).
If we just went back to the level of admin and support we had when Dr. Lewis started (and we had more students back then), we would have close to enough money to cover the budget gap.
Over 1,500 highly paid additional personnel is an enormous sum. Let's assume an extremely modest $50,000 a year annual salary and benefits per admin and support employee added.
$50,000 X 1,500 admin and support personnel = $75,000,000 a year.
The DCSS human resources department gave these 2004 figures and the 2009 figures to the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts.
Budget line item number 26 says "Cut small school points; reduce specials; consolidate/itinerant. What qualifies as a smaller school?
Are specials (art, music, PE) going to part-time? Will these be cut down in all schools, or only those deemed "small schools."
The BOE has had opportunities to redistrict to balance enrollment at schools, particularly in N. Dekalb. But instead created a school that itself is under-capacity, left 2 elementary still over crowded and 2 others that can take on more students. So, now do those less enrolled schools have to pay for the BOE's mistake by losing even more?
Sidenote: In regards to the canine program, I can't believe the BOE would rather employ a dog, than save a teacher or 2 paras. And of course DCSS has can't cut any of its police force... all thugs have police on their payroll, and our current corrupt leadership is no different.
What great information! It is heartening to see so many (well-) informed people engaged in the discussion. One question, though: is there a glossary somewhere of all of the acronyms being bandied about? Most I am able to decipher, but it certainly slows me down, and that's just while reading the blog! Makes me wonder whether I should dare try to "play with the big kids" at an open BOE meeting. I notice, too, that I do not know much about the structure of the school system.
Now, I could hunker down and learn about the acronyms and the structure, it's true. I suppose up until now, I have relied on "school" to work like a well-oiled machine for me and my child. Hadn't given it much thought, being most happy with our school. Being forced to take a look at it makes me feel cranky and a little scared. And sad for all the hard-working, well-meaning employees (and bloggers - see above) doing the best for our children.
I find the behavior of DCSS officials motivated by self-interest to be a betrayal of an educator's version of the Hippocratic Oath.
My experience with the security people (3) at one high school in the district (enrollment ca. 1400) is that they are needed to keep the students on campus and in the classrooms. I see them chasing down students like lost sheep sometimes, trying to get them squared away or under some kind of supervision. Students smoke dope, fight or have sex on or near the campus. It seems pretty tumultuous around there. While I don't get to see all the kids who surely are learning there, I do have sympathy for the security people at the school.
I do wonder how reliable the projected enrollment numbers are. I know that for our elementary school, the numbers from 2006 even for the past couple of years were way off; we got slammed with a lot more kids than had been anticipated. How can the County know how many children will be moving into a given elementary school district?
Anon 12:39, no one is saying we don't need SRO's, especially at the high schools and middle schools. But like every other DCSS department, it's become bloated and top heavy. Two chiefs? Nine detectives? Four admin assistants? We need SRO's, but not bureaucrats. We need an outside review.
And when you have a $100 mil budget hole, every dept. has to take some cuts.
No more nine take home cars for DCSS police. One person (or two) is on call for a weekend, and she/he can take home a DCSS vehicle. And that's it. Tough times call for tough measures.
Maybe if we spent more on the classroom and less on admin and support we wouldn't have to be chasing down kids to corral them to go to school. It's kind of like - do we spend for prisons or schools. Obviously, Dr. Lewis made his decision when he built this department to 6 times the size of Gwinett Schools security department.
Also, administrators set the tone for students, and we have 1,239 of them. When they don't back teachers with discipline, allow students to skip class and still make the teachers take their work (yes this happens all the time), force teachers to change their grades when they have done no work and passed no tests, then we get situations such as Anonymous 12:39 pm observed.
The buck stops with the administration. Good discipline would preclude these dangerous and non-educational activities from occurring in the first place. I see that Ms. Tyson is not filling 10 AP positions in the schools. She obviously hasn't been in a school in a long time - try 21 years ago or she would know that APs should be the first line of defense. If we need security officers to chase them down, DCSS has already lost the battle.
Bottom line - an audit is in order. This was up for discussion quite some time ago, but the board voted it down - saying it was too costly (half a million?? I can't recall.) But this audit would have been the same type Johnny Brown did where the auditors would evaluate jobs, job titles, and actual job functions and compiled a report of waste. Now that the board has no real research on this, they have to fly by the seat of their pants, using info provided to them by the administration themselves. This can't make for prudent decisions.
We also need to demand a thorough, public accounting of the buildings the school system owns and their utilization (or lack thereof). One blogger clued us in to a listing available online - do a search here:
http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/PropertyAppraisal/realSearch.asp
using the term
DEKALB BOARD OF EDUCATION
If you have time and energy, look up the addresses on Google Earth. (This could be another group project like Mr. Potato Head!)
Also, it appears that our federal government has the same expensive problem - watch this ABC News report on empty government buildings costing us millions in tax dollars -
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=18827738
@ Anonymous 1:07 AM
The buck also stops with parents.
When I was in school my parents made several things quite clear:
(1) If I was in trouble at school I was in MORE trouble at home.
(2) If I did not pass a class I would re-take it the following year -- no summer school.
(3) Not liking a teacher was absolutely no excuse for not doing my best in class.
I insisted on the same with my children.
Those three lessons have helped me -- and my children -- throughout life, including in the workplace where not liking your boss is no excuse for doing a poor job.
Teachers, go ahead and enlighten Anon 10:02 AM as to the realities of the classroom today - the lack of focus from the students and the demanding modern parents you all have to deal with.
We have become a very selfish society. All of our discussions here prove that. There are very few people who care about all of the children in the system and the health of our schools overall. And those that try, get their voices drowned out by the loud complaints from special factions. We have certainly shined the light on these special factions who only rise up in unison when their special program is in jeopardy. On a regular day - most people just don't seem to care much about anything that does not directly effect them or their children. Cross Keys is a great example. Would anyone be willing to give up something at their magnet school in order to provide Cross Keys with proper teaching tools? I say - no. I mean, they "care", but not really that much.
Frankly, I'm disappointed - and it makes me certain that these cuts to the regular teachers and regular classroom in our regular schools will happen - due to the push-back from special interests and the board's inability to assess data and do the right thing.
Fernbank will stay. Magnets will stay. Montessori will stay. Bloat in administrative jobs will stay. Take home cars will stay. Bloated security forces will stay. But Mrs. Smith in room 222 at Regular HS, will now have at least 35-40 more students on her roster and several "Instructional Coaches" breathing down her neck and parents complaining that their child isn't getting proper attention - and an impossible teaching environment - and bye, bye, Mrs. Smith.
Here we go. Watch - as you get what you fought for - a "performance-based" segregated school system. But you can only hold yourself above the fray for so long -- these unattended, under-served kids will eventually effect your life someway, somehow.
History lesson:
"First they came ..." is a popular poem attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group. In Niemöller's first utterance of it, in a January 6, 1946 speech before representatives of the Confessing Church in Frankfurt, it went (in German):
"THEY CAME FIRST for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.
THEN THEY CAME for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up."
I do not trust the data the school board is using to make decisions. We need to demand an audit.
First, we cannot trust that they have the number of student correct. Unbelievably, our board reps won't even believe their own enrollment numbers submitted to the state. They keep repeating the mantra - "we have 101,000 students" -- We do not.
The number reported to the state on the October 2009 Official FTE count for DeKalb was 97,958, however, the State website currently shows DeKalb with 96,907 students.
Check out these numbers yourselves -
http://www.gadoe.org/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=111&PID=62&PTID=68&CountyId=644&T=0&FY=2009
http://app3.doe.k12.ga.us/ows-bin/owa/fte_pack_ethnicsex.entry_form
Thanks Cere! When you see the data, the budget and where cuts are being made makes me shake my head as my heart feels with sadness for the constantly lower quality of education our children receive. Hopefully the student numbers will open everyone eyes to the true problems. Our board is incapable of making a solid decision on behalf of the children, as they don't want the truth. Maybe it's like Jack Nicolson said: They can't handle the truth. The truth is DeKalb has become an employment agency and not a place for children to be educated. Wake up people, we're failing our children!
If an audit is demanded, just be sure it does some good in the end. The last time we had an audit or job shuffle the employees all had to fill out descriptions of their duties.I think they just changed job descriptions and shuffled the higher-ups around. Don't think anyone was let go or reduced. Seems like we increased the top-heavy employees after that. The skeletons in the closet are numerous and the nepotism is sickening in DeKalb.
Actually, the last time this was done, Johnny Brown was super. He tried to reduce and consolidate based on the findings and we all know what happened to him. Dr Lewis was placed as Brown's replacement and then the administrative bloat went out of control. Promises must have been made, is all I can figure.
TO RECAP:
Here are some suggestions from bloggers that have been basically ignored by the board:
CUT CENTRAL OFFICE MORE! They have much more bloat to be eliminated.
If you look at the Georgia Open Records you will find many other areas that can be examined for cuts before cutting the people who work with the students directly at the local school.
Figures include:
562 employees at a cost of $28,800,437 in salaries and $228,868 in travel expenses.
Job titles for the above include:
79 BUSINESS SERV SECRETARY/CLERK
And CENTRAL SUPPORT/DATA CLERK
17 DEPUTY/ASSOC/ASSISTANT SUPT
46 GENERAL ADMIN SECRETARY/CLERK
48 GRADUATION SPECIALIST
51 INFORMATION SERVICES CLERK
219 MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES
(over $5.5 million)
42 OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL PROVIDER
20 PLANT OPERATIONS SEC/CLERK
93 STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
(over $6.5 million)
26 SUPPORT SERV SECRETARY/CLERK
Eliminate DOLA completely. Use the State's online virtual school, it's better and the credits transfer seamlessly.
Eliminate take home cars except for the superintendent and a couple of on-call security officers (who must live within a 15 minute response time).
Put ALL high schools on the 7 period day. IF you insist on making teachers teach 6 of 7 periods to full classes - do so for ALL high schools. And set a limit on the total number of students a teacher may have on his or her roster.
Create a public/private partnership to run Fernbank Science Center. Put the Fernbank science teachers in the classroom where they are desperately needed. Let the private entity keep the scientists they choose and they can offer in-service training for all of our science teachers on an on-going basis.
Audit the security department and reduce it. DeKalb has far and away more security officers per student than any other metro system.
Gwinnett County Schools with 150,000 students to our 100,000 has 49 Security personnel for a cost of $2,500,000 in salary and benefits. This is an average of $51,000 per Security employee.
DCSS has 218 Security employees at a cost of $12,500,000 in salary and benefits. This is an average of $57,300 per Security employee.
Does anyone feel that their child would be less safe in Gwinnett schools?
And to reprint an earlier comment --
I don't think any taxpayer begrudges retirement costs for the 7,000 (soon to be 6,600) teachers who instruct our children every day because we want to ensure stability for the students. However, DCSS is now in the situation where turnover among the non-teaching ranks is minimal while the turnover among teachers is phenomenal in DCSS.
Paying retirement costs at 9.25% for 8,800 non-teaching personnel (not to speak of the astronomical Health Care benefits) will eventually break the DeKalb School System. Many observers would argue it's already broken.
We must:
1. Cut admin and support personnel dramatically
2. Increase teaching personnel
3. Decrease the teacher turnover rate
Feel free to copy and paste my previous comment, add your own thoughts and email it to the board, using the "Email the Board" link on the right hand panel of the home page, just above Recent Comments.
Son of awcomeonnow back at it.
Am I reading correctly here?
Do we really have over 120 non teaching Title 1 funded positions here at DCSS? Can anyone do some research on other school systems in Georgia and the number of Title 1 funded non teaching positions they have.
What I think I see in play here is:
1. The friends and family plan
ie the connected school
board and front office
people are using Title
1 funds for patronage
rewards. Patronage
rewards in this case
means high paying,
cushy jobs.
2. Creation of the friends
and family plan has been
funded by ongoing, and
massive Title 1 fraud.
How many reports have
we read here, and by
persons other then myself,
that the school system has
been pimping for Title 1
funds in any way possible?
What I've witnessed or have reported to me is
1. Different schools refusing
to accept school lunch accounts by
parents when they tried to set them up. The parents were told:
"It's been taken care of."
Presto! Instant Title 1 inflation!
2. Literature at the front office
encouraging parents to show up for
Title 1 "fairs".
3. Use of "paired" schools to relieve "overcrowding". In the past the "overcrowded" or "sending"
school would be in less affluent areas, ie apartment corridor schools in south dekalb. The receiving schools would be schools such as Midvale, where homes routinely cost over $200,000.
An attendance area of two hundred thousand dollar homes probably doesn't have a high enough percentage of low income kids to be considered title 1. It
WOULD, however if you bus 1/3 of it's students to it from low income areas.
Isn't it WAY PAST time that there's a fraud investigation begun on Title 1 fraud at the DCSS?
Shouldn't it cover the hiring of non teaching positions at high salaries and large numbers? Shouldn't there be a hotline number where teachers, families, and knowledgeable people can call in what they've witnessed about the fraud?
This has been going on for decades. It's wrong. It's also a federal crime, which is actually a good thing. Georgia takes care of it's own. The feds are less likely to.
Cere - I did a Google lookup of the DCSS properties (I think it was in February??), and found a bunch of non-school locations. I posted them to the blog, but I can't figure out what it was posted under.
How do I find it? I am thinking the keyword would be "DCSS properties" or something.
Yes, it was in the comments, not a post, so I'll dig for it...
Meanwhile -
Wanted to add the data about the salary increases for some of Lewis' top administrators - these were posted in another thread by an anonymous blogger who has done the research -
Here is a comparison between 2004 salaries and 2009 salaries:
NAME - 2004 salary - 2009 salary
LEWIS,CRAWFORD $112,074 $287,991.63
REID,PATRICIA A $100,010 $197,592.50
CALLAWAY,FRANKIE B $106,698 $165,035.69
MOSELEY,ROBERT G $106,698 $165,035.69
TALLEY,GLORIA S no data available $165,035.69
TURK,MARCUS T $75,558 $165,035.69
TYSON,RAMONA H $99,960 $165,035.69
WILSON,JAMIE L $85,502 $165,035.69
SATTARI,DARYUSH $49,451 $147,539.80
MITCHELL,FELICIA M $96,354 $125,284.87
FREEMAN,TIMOTHY W $106,598 $124,049.27
GILLIARD,WANDA S $102,594 $124,049.27
THOMPSON,ALICE A $99,960 $124,049.27
NORRIS-BOUIE,WENDOLYN $100,060 $122,345.84
DUNSON,HORACE C $90,606 $122,195.84
SEGOVIS,TERRY M $93,888 $122,195.84
SIMPSON,RALPH L $95,826 $122,195.84
WHITE,DEBRA A $90,426 $122,195.84
RHODES,CHERYL L $88,804 $121,202.40
FREEMAN,SUSAN L $85,578 $120,844.00
Also, according to this budget document -
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/superintendent/budget/files/E4FE1FD427E5488E83C6C5C48A68947B.pdf
It appears that the 2010 budget of the Office of the Superintendent has increased 10.1% from 2009.
It seems the superintendent has quite a staff - totaling over a million dollars in cost -
Superintendent of Schools M21
Superintendent's Travel L09
Superintendent's TSA M21
Chief of Staff M21
Asst. Director, Media/PR M21
Executive Secretary Supplement T21
Executive Secretary Supplement T21
Secretary II SUPT T21
Secretary to Asst to Supt T21
Secretary to the Supt. T21
Secretary, Executive Supt. T21
Secretary, Executive Supt. T21
PLUS another million for the school board budget. (Did you know that each school board member has a $4,000 travel budget?) How about over $900,000 in legal fees?
Download some of these budgets and look them over!
Found it! The listings of properties owned by DCSS and dug up by Anon, can be found in the comments at the Take Home Vehicles article --
http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2010/03/take-home-vehicles.html
A glossary! Good idea, Anon, 12:39 AM. Someday I may work on that...
The last time they did a audit the cost was very high and they did not even complete the paper work.
They change and re-name every positions which never was even inter through payroll. They ended up sending a large number of ladies to hr too finish the paper work. So unless someone can be trusted with a audit forget it. The only people that it helped were friends and family.
The audit summary was excellent. I saw the information that was given for my department. No matter what your job title was, if you did the same job function as someone else with a different title, it collapsed both titles into one title. It really nailed the job discrepancies in my department. If implemented in my department, we would have seen as much as a 10% reduction in salaries from the top end without any change in job functions.
Shortly after the audit came out, Johnny Brown left the system. I asked numerous times about what became of the audit information, but was told it was a Dr. Brwon initiative. Dr. Lewis didn't feel the need to use this document. The BOE seemed to be consumed with the politics of getting rid of Dr. Brown and reinstating Dr. Lewis. Dr. Lewis had other contenders, but the BOE had constantly shifting alliances at that time, and was in turmoil over their battles with Dr. Brown.
Teachers at the school level were oblivious to this clash of the Titans occurred above the heads of teachers and their students. Neither the teachers nor the students realized how the institution of Dr. Lewis would drain their classroom of resources to the point it has today. They were busy teaching and learning when Dr. Lewis was appointed.
Now they are listening, but it's too little, too late.
Is there anyone more vulnerable than the teachers? Yes - that most vulnerable person of all - the student.
Cere and Anon 9:09 AM, how we would find a copy of that audit and get it posted online?
Anyone have a copy of that old audit?
I used to have a copy of my job description from the audit, but I'm retired now so I don't believe I have it anymore.
Several top end employees complained that they were reclassified to our lower end positions, but since they did essentially the same job functions we did, that made sense. It was interesting how the job functions were downgraded to the lower position, not lower positions upgraded to the higher paid positions - at least that was what happened in my department. I was amazed at the detail and the grasp the auditing company had on each job. Jobs were grouped by functions performed, not titles bestowed.
I had been skeptical because I know it was expensive and my supervisor had not shared with us the goals of the audit - just that we needed to complete it. In the end nothing was done with this in depth, expensive data generated by the auditors that the BOE had authorized. Dr. Brown departed soon thereafter.
The entire audit has got to be stored somewhere. It was paid for by taxpayers so there must be access to it.
The audits can be found on the State DOE website:
https://www.audits.state.ga.us/searchRpts.html
@ Anonymous 1:18 pm
I don't believe that's the Comprehensive Compensation and Classification Study referred to in this blog. The Comprehensive Compensation and Classification Study was a study done by Ernst and Young at Dr. Brown's request and the BOE's approval, not a state mandated study.
Here is the description of the study in 2003, from Dispatch, an internal DCSS newsletter:
"On September 8, 2003, the DeKalb Board of Education authorized the national firm Ernst & Young, LLP to conduct a comprehensive compensation and classification study in the DeKalb County School System. This study will be the first such study of this kind conducted in the school system in 15 years. As a result of the study, the DeKalb County School System expects to develop an objective, appropriate classification structure and a market-competitive compensation system. This structure will reflect fewer salary schedules; less distinct job titles; and job titles that comport with current industry nomenclature. It is further expected that the information gathered will This new system will be designed for easy management and maintenance by the Department of Human Resources. For more information, call them Compensation and Classification Hotline at 678/676-0400."
In fact, recently the board discussed performing another such audit (someone stated that best practices suggest doing this every 5 years I believe) - however, the board quickly tabled the notion and haven't discussed it since.
Can we make the Board go find that 2003 audit and review it? Don't know whether it would be relevant now, but it might be, and it would buy them a clue about how an audit can show big savings.
I downloaded the 2008 audit at the link - and it's strictly financial, however, I did find this statement interesting -
"In total, net assets increased $111.2 million to $1.164 billion. This represents an 11 percent increase from 2007. This total increase was due to governmental activities since the Board has no business-type activities."
Now, I find it fascinating that the 'assets' increased 11%, when student population declined from 100,526 in 2007 to 99,778 in 2008 (a loss of 748 students).
I wish that the parents banning together to fight for their child's school would ban together for the improvement of education across the district. We have parents fighting to keep programs and schools open, while the bigger picture shows that the children and the quality of education that they receive will suffer no matter where they go to school.
Here's another interesting factoid from the audit -
"General Administration" just about doubled - from $10.6 million in 2007 to $20 million in 2008.
"Improvement of Instructional Services" went from $53.4 million in 2007 to $56.9 million in 2008.
But "Instruction" itself barely moved - from $631.4 million to $639.2 million.
And then there's this:
"Note 15: Related Party Transaction"
The school district employed the services of Vincent Pope and Associates, Inc for various construction projects. This company is owned and operated by Vincent Pope, the husband of Patricia Pope, who is currently Chief Operations Officer (COO) for the DeKalb County Board of Education. While some of these services were secured by a bid procedure, all were not. Additionally, the contracts were signed prior to Ms. Pope becoming the School District's COO. Current year expenditures to Vincent Pope and Associates totaled $528,361.37."
This state audit of the finances dating to June 2008 was finished in Sept 2009. The school system made a statement regarding the services of Vincent Pope. I'm assuming this statement is truthful, since this is a legal document.
Board approves 430 DeKalb school layoffs
By [ mailto:mmatteucci@ajc.com ]Megan Matteucci
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
12:24 p.m. Tuesday, March 30, 2010
As many as 430 DeKalb County school employees will lose their jobs.
The school board voted Tuesday morning to give interim superintendent Ramona Tyson the authority to reduce up to 430 positions, board chairman Tom Bowen told the AJC.
The exact number of employees will be determined May 30, Bowen said.
The layoffs are needed to help with an anticipated $115 million shortfall.
Is this AJC article referring to total potential layoffs? If so, most are probably teachers and paras.
Or has the BOE finally heard the teachers, parents and taxpayers and authorized layoffs of up to 450central office and non-teaching staff?
I hate when the AJC runs a provocative heading with absolutely no helpful information.
Likely the former. If the board had substantively differed with the recommendations given it that would be the headline
As far as I know this figure doesn't include teachers but does include the 200+ paras and 150ish central office personnel and media clerks, etc.
At the meeting, they didn't share with the public what positions are on the list. The Board knows though.
I guess I'm dumb - I don't understand. How can they lay off teachers and paras after they just sent out everyone's contracts? Won't the board have to fulfill the contracts? I assume that the central office staff do not operate under a contract - but teachers do - do paras?
Under Georgia law, teachers can be held to the contracts but schools do not. Gwinnett County hired too many teachers a few years ago and laid off teachers a few months into the school year. However, if a teacher breaks a contract the school system can go after his/her license if they want to. I know - it seems bizarre - but that's the way it works.
See, here's a short-sighted proposed cut that doesn't make sense. They are leaving the tiny magnet Wadsworth alone (I'm going to assume it's due to fear of a lawsuit) - but will make deep cuts to the very successful DeKalb Early College Adacemy (DECA) - which has a positive effect on high school graduation rates - which is considered for AYP.
Michael Parks, co-PTA president at the DeKalb Early College Academy, said he is struggling to make ends meet at home but would support a half mill increase to his property taxes. The early college academy, which has about 180 students, will lose eight of its 14 teachers under the committee’s budget.
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-committee-moves-to-406520.html
That's terrible, Anon 2:10 PM - I had no idea.
The positions are the ones listed in the Budget Proposal passed by the Budget Committee on Friday, the 200 paraprofessionals, the 150 Central Office, 59 media clerks and 18 CTSS.
Central Office staff are contractual as well. They have not however received contracts. They have been told that it may be May 30th before they receive word as to if they will get a contract. This is unfair because their current contract expires June 30th. This gives them one month to look for a job!
Again- the misconception is that all central office personnel earn over 100k a year. This is far from the truth. Many are middle income wage earners who cannot afford to not have an income any more than teachers!
"Again- the misconception is that all central office personnel earn over 100k a year. This is far from the truth. Many are middle income wage earners who cannot afford to not have an income any more than teachers!"
I have never been under the conception that all Central Office employees earn over $100,000 a year. I just know that 1,239 Central Office staff to 6800 teachers (that's excluding Media Specialists) is just too many employees who are not teaching students versus teaching students.
Dr. Lewis steadily reduced teachers over his tenure as he increased class sizes. For example, 275 positions were not filled this past year 2009-10. Since Central Office personnel only exist to serve the teachers and their students (i.e. the classroom), every teacher reduction should have been followed by a Central Office reduction. This hasn't happened, and teachers know it. Now parents/taxpayers know it.
I'm not sure what's going to happen to those 150 Central Office staff. Hopefully, many will be sent back to the classroom to teach students. Many, many more Central Office employees need to go back to schools to ensure the students will be impacted the least amount possible in this economic crisis.
Every certified person in the county should be looked at as a potential teacher of students because that's what students most need at this point. Parents/taxpayer must let Ms. Tyson and the BOE know this.
Some special teachers such as 87 gifted and 155 ESOL could take on additional schools in order to free others to go back to the classroom and help reduce class sizes.
The 326 counselors in DCSS could be asked to take on more students so others counselors who are certified teachers could help fill our classrooms.
Could some of the 510 art, music and PE teachers who are certified to teach regular ed could take on 2 schools so that others would be free to go back into the classrooms.
It goes without saying that the 80 Instructional Coaches should all be teaching students. If Title 1 doesn't allow them to teach in a regular ed classroom, then let them teach as special math or reading teachers like the Title 1 Math and Title 1 Reading teachers did in the 80s and 90s. Lord knows many of our kids are struggling in these areas.
Ms. Tyson can spend $25,000,000 (America's Choice - $8,000,000, Instructional Coaches - $8,000,000, Springboard - $1,4000,000) a year for fancy educational programs, but with 35 to 40 students in a classroom, every parent I know would rather have that money spent on teachers in the classroom instructing their children.
Parents need to push for more efficient use of as many certified personnel as possible teaching grade level and content positions. Adding the numbers up shows we have as many as 1,000 to 1,500 teaching personnel that are not regular ed, but could be (I didn't add in special ed because the most vulnerable students would be impacted). If DCSS could make more efficient use of these personnel, could we get at least 10% to 15% back in regular education classroom positions in order to keep class sizes manageable? We would still have counselors and art and music and PE, just do it with a reduction in personnel.
As far as not being able to "afford not to have income", I hope this doesn't sound unsympathetic, but DCSS is not a jobs program. We expect every nickel to be squeezed and every dime to go to our kids. It only exists to educate children. Children only get one shot at an education.
Well said, Anon. This is a war and we need an army. Students need the National Guard (a large army of qualified teachers). Period.
As a Clifton Elementary Magnet Parent, I am quite disturbed that the school closing meetings coincide with our school choice open enrollment period. Those of us that have students in the schools targeted for closure don't know whether to stand our ground or look for other options. In addition, parents who would normally be trying to enroll their children to enter our program in the third grade would naturally look elsewhere. This will only make our enrollment decrease even further.
I think the prudent thing to do would be to postpone school choice enrollment until the budget is finalized and we all know where our schools stand.
That is a really good point, Cougar. Make sure you let the board know this. It's important and fair.
An open comment to Kathy Cox ...
www.votekathycox.com
kathy@votekathycox.com
Kathy -- I cannot and will not vote for you because you and you top staff stood idly by while DeKalb County School System floundered in mud and murk. Even if you did not have the authority to do anything, you should have exhibited moral leadership. You did nothing.
This was recently emailed from the Lakeside PTA - good info I thought I'd share -
On March 26th, the Board of Education's Budget, Finance, and Facilities Committee approved a list of proposed budget cuts for the 2010-2011 school year. To view these cuts, click (the photo in this post above).
These budget cuts will be presented to the full Board of Education (BOE) at their next meeting April 12th at 6 p.m. at the William Bradley Bryant Center on Lawrenceville Hwy. The meeting is a combined work session (which includes citizen comments and Board discussion of agenda items) and business meeting. Discussion and changes to the proposed budget cuts could be made at that time. A tentative vote on the cuts is anticipated.
Once a tentative budget is approved, citizens may view the budget in its entirety at the Board of Education Office. Two public hearings on the budget will be held on April 21st and 28th at 6 p.m. also at the William Bradley Bryant Center.
There will be a BOE work session on May 3rd at Henderson Middle School - a final opportunity for citizen comments regarding the budget. The final vote on the budget will be at the May 10th Board of Education meeting.
Many Thanks to the DeKalb Parent blog for the copious notes taken at the April 16 budget meeting available here.
Post a Comment