As the old idiom goes, "March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb." Unfortunately for many California school districts, March also goes out like a lion as they are dealing with the statutorily prescribed timeline for teacher layoffs.
March 15, as we know too well, is the date by which teachers must receive initial notification that they may be laid off -- often called a "pink slip." And as we also know too well, this date does not align with the State's budget timeline. '
The State's Legislative Analyst Office ("LAO") recently issued a review of the teacher layoff process and its recommendations. The review addresses several provisions of the layoff process, including the timeline, hearing process, selection criteria, and state involvement. Among the LAO's numerous recommendations include: changing the deadline for initial notification from March 15 to June 1 and final layoffs from May 15 to August 1; moving from an automatic hearing to a "streamlined alternate process"; exploring alternatives to seniority-based layoffs; and consider expanding locally negotiated options.
Do you agree with the LAO's suggestions? What other remedies would you suggest?
See here for a complete look at the LAO's findings and recommendations.
Meghan Covert Russell
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