Los Angeles Unified School District has just announced an agreement with United Teachers Los Angeles. Details from the district's press release are below. UTLA statement after the jump.
LAUSD AND UTLA REACH TENTATIVE JOBS AND SERVICES RESTORATION AGREEMENT
Los Angeles - LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy announced today the District has reached a tentative contract agreement in partnership and collaboration with United Teachers Los Angeles for 2011-12 to save jobs. The agreement calls for the union's membership to take four furlough days, or fewer, in 2011-12 if the State's budget picture improves.
"I want to thank UTLA for working with us to provide a solution for next year that brings stability - and the majority of our employees - back to the classroom," said Deasy. "I'm very pleased to be able to retain the current class sizes, and positions and programs such as magnet coordinators, School Readiness Language Development Program (SRLDP), Options program, arts programs, Library Media Teachers, and adult education at the 2010-11 level."
Under this agreement for 2011-12, 3,402 positions will be restored, including 1,722 elementary and secondary teaching jobs as well as 1,680 positions, including adult educators, arts educators, counselors, Library Media Teachers, nurses, options teachers, ROC-ROP instructors, SRLDP teachers, and magnet school positions. An additional 1,700 classroom and non-classroom (counselors, school psychologists, PSA counselors, and psychiatric social workers) positions are anticipated to be created or saved as a result of local school budget decisions and retirements.
Deasy cautioned that the success of the agreement is contingent upon Governor Brown's proposed budget being approved by the Legislature. He noted that the District and its various bargaining partners are "relying on maximum trust" that Sacramento will support the Governor's proposal for education funding.
"Should the actual, approved state budget and revenue limit come in above our proposed budget," said Deasy, "we will be in a position to incrementally reduce the number of furlough days for all our bargaining partners. However, these education revenues must be fully-funded, not deferred and without restrictions."
The Superintendent added that should the revenue limit come in below the proposed level, UTLA's members will be required to take up to six furlough days to mitigate the impact of the loss of revenue. "If there is huge decline in revenues," said Deasy, "the District and all of its bargaining partners will be compelled to reopen negotiations."
"While this agreement does not restore all the cuts -- because our schools are still drastically under-funded -- it goes a long way toward providing the resources and personnel for our students to succeed," said Deasy. "In the meantime, all those who care about public education in this state must continue to apply pressure on Sacramento to fund education above the current pathetic, sub-standard levels."
As a result of the Governor's May Revise budget released on May 16 and authorization from the Los Angeles County Office of Education, LAUSD will apply $154 million of a 2010-11 State IOU cash deferral to address the District's $408 million deficit and Feb. 15 package of budget reductions for 2011-12. This,
along with furlough day agreements from UTLA and five other unions for 2011-12, will help stabilize LAUSD's classrooms and services for the upcoming school year only.
The announcement of the tentative agreement with UTLA means that only the Teamsters and California School Employee Association unions have not yet reached an agreement with the District for 2011-12.
"I would like to thank our Board for its clear direction and unwavering support to further enhance the educational program for our students," Deasy said.