As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.
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In the News: CPS, union set to reject arbitrator's report
By: Cassandra West / July 16, 2012
Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union this week are both expected to reject an arbitrator's fact-finding report, which recommends a double-digit salary hike that both sides agree could force teacher layoffs and larger class sizes, according to sources close to the negotiations, the Tribune reports.
Sun-Times reporter Fran Spielman says the heat on Mayor Emanuel, though, may grow hotter if teachers go on strike.
More Chicago Public Schools students are meeting state standards than ever before, according to preliminary test results. But the overall increase was the smallest it's been in years, just 0.9 percentage points up from last year. (WBEZ)
Twenty principals and assistant principals are among 26 current and former Chicago Public Schools employees who provided false income information on applications to get their children into the federal free or reduced-price lunch program, according to CPS Inspector General James Sullivan. (Tribune)
Chicago teachers best paid, or not, depending who you ask. (Sun-Times)
IN THE NATION
An Indianapolis Star examination of the issue found that Indiana lacks accountability measures found in some other states — a scenario some fear will lead to a proliferation of underperforming virtual schools. (Indianapolis Star)
With a loss of some 100,000 members in the past two years—and more expected—the National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union, is striving to buttress its political clout. (Education Week)
Well oookay!!
I think everyone already knew the arbitrator situation would be a waste of time. Its great that the process works, but CPS and the CTU are right back where they started. Layoffs are a part of life and the economy. Give teachers the raise and squeeze out the teachers whose evaluations suggest they should have been gone a long time ago. The CPS budget has already proven that the charter schools are favored more than the public schools. If teachers continue to fight for a pay increase to compensate for the longer school day CPS will be forced to reconsider the funding allocated to charter schools. I cant afford anything less than a substantial pay increase. The layoffs are a bluff and usually include the job vacancies from downtown. Please don't be fooled by the layoff hype. Lets move forward and DEMAND a pay raise.
to avenger
Did you ever listen. Half those evaluations are written by dishonest principals. I would be so quick to lay off innocent victims. Didnt you read a bout 13 principals and vps got pulled for forging lunch forms. Should their evaluations count.
Contingencies
Money for additional 2% or 4% raises?
Teacher Salary Account numbers (including >> principals and assistant principals <<)
A58110,A58150,A58114,A51300,A51130,A51400,A51100,A51500,A52150,A51140
Add 2 percent to each and sum for a total additional of $39M
Add 4 percent to each and sum for a total additional of $78.1M
Is $39M or $78M available in the current budget?
Some money could come from allocations now slated for contracts.?.
There are $203.8M under Contingencies (including miscellaneous charges) - See Revenues and Expenditures
Contingency: A budgetary reserve set aside for emergencies or unforeseen expenditures.
Click contingencies to see how the the funding source for these unallocated/uncommitted funds
But this unallocated money could be used to better support struggling schools and supports for children.
The Board needs a basic consumer education refresher.
It is apparent that the Board's eyes are bigger than its stomach.
The Board wants to close more schools, privatize more schools, and subsidize more charter schools, but cannot afford it.
The Board wants a longer day (not a better day), but cannot afford it.
When I go to the store and put items in my basket that I cannot afford, I must put them back. That is the adult thing to do. It is the responsible thing to do. I do not ask the store employees to make up the difference for the things I want to take with me but cannot afford.
The Board needs to stop closing schools, privatizing schools, and subsidizing charters, and needs to give up the longer day.
The Board can do those things when they have the money to pay for those things. It is the adult thing to do. It is the responsible thing to do.
You Can't Always Get What You Want
It is always so delicious when CPS gets its underwear in a bundle because then its water-carriers bray their nonsense without censoring themselves.
The arbitrator's fact-finding report is due out Wednesday and is expected to contain a recommendation of a 15-20% raise for teachers. Woot! Immediately, Becky Carroll, CPS spokeswoman, prattles on in a lecturing tone about fiscal reality and the gravity of the district’s financial crisis. Gee Becky, do you think the arbitrator considered the money or was he just some guy tapped at a Dairy Queen and asked to comment on the contract?
Next comes the Advance Illinois maven, Robin Stearns, who blathers “Until we see how the fact-finder has interpreted his role, I don't think we know how helpful it will be…." Seriously? There’s a dictionary definition of “arbitrator.” Nowhere does it include the phrase “interpret his role.” You all thought he was going to interpret his role as, you’d better recommend in favor of Rahm, because that’s what we do here.
Rahm Emanuel came riding into town using his ham-fisted approach to life with the police and the teachers and expected everyone to bobble-head their agreement like the City Council. How’s that working out for you, Rahm?
The teachers will probably continue to be demonized, but we can hope that their critics ask themselves what past or present actions of state of city politicians give them any confidence that the financial situation is as Quinn and Emanuel say it is? Every time Emanuel cries poor to the teachers he pulls millions of dollars out of the air for his preferred projects.
The teachers and CPS never had to be at sixes and sevens. Rahm Emanuel owns this mess.
Mr. Cawley does not live in the city. OIG and everyone knows it
Does that count? No!
92 more people to be hired in talent management
There is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for that.
Well we will shortly get the number the independent arbitrator
put on the longer school day and the impact of CPS removing all work rules from the contract based on SB7 rules. If the arbitrator puts the raise in double digits and both CPS and CTU reject it because CPS does not have the money, clearly the fiscal viability of funding for the longer school day is, as was apparent to anyone who looked at the budget, a problem. CPS needs to restore bargaining related to work rules and come to a deal on the extent of how long a school day is possible with the money it has.
As I have said, over and over again, SB7 was a deeply flawed law and it needs to be revoked. Stand for Children's strategy really is a complete mess now and labor relations are at a new low. Mayor Emanuel needs to calm down about obsessing over campaign promises for the longer day and deal with the fiscal reality of the situation.
Rod Estvan
Thank you Stand on Children SB7 for bringing CTU togther!
As well as parents and communities. There is also a swelling of support for an elected school board. Today was a good day.
Need to praise teachers
With crime levels up as high as it is; teachers should be praised. The police seems to be able to stop it. Teachers do their best; and they don't count. Again; this big mess has caused people to lose their jobs; and the Union should be fighting for that instead of how much money teachers are going to make. Remember; the Union is in unity. Voice for your members. Stand for your members. Fight for your members. Forget the money. Get teachers their jobs back. There has been a demeaning feat where Principals have labeled teachers as bad and closed their positions. This is nothing but a ploy. Tenured teachers should be honored and respected for the work they have done for education. They should not be framed and thrown off their jobs; just to get them out the way.
Longer School Day
I hope that CTU doesn't let CPS give them a snow job in thinking that the only way we can get that raise is if they threaten to slash several thousand union jobs. We should ask the top brass at CPs to give up their 25 to 33 % pay raise they received when Brizard took over. We should ask that they buy their own cars instead of have the tax payers pay for their tax payers lease cars for $900 a month. We should ask CPS to rid of the mulit-miliion dollars contracts to "consultants" who are doing the same job many Board employees are already doing. We should stop giving charter schools funding. They claimed they could educated children with less money but more effectively. Ok, so do it. When Brizard, Crawley and the top officials agree to give up all of their tax payers perks, maybe we can talk. I don't want to work in a hot unbearable classroom or school and extra hour, an extra minute unless I'm being paid to do so.
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