Fresno’s Central Unified school board again delays vote to lay off 10 teachers
Central Unified School District board members have delayed a vote to lay off 10 teachers.
Superintendent Andrew Alvarado asked the board to hold off on voting until the next meeting on March 9. He didn’t explain why he made that request but said the resolution “may need” to be amended after high school registration is completed this week.
After student registration is completed at the high schools the number of teachers being laid off can increase or decrease depending on the numbers.
“Our high school registration numbers will give more clarity to administration and the board on the resolution,” Spokesperson Sonja Dosti told The Bee’s Education Lab.
This is the second time the board postponed a vote to lay off teachers. The board was first expected to vote on Jan. 27 but it was rescheduled because some board members thought the public should be more informed about why district administration was recommending the board approve layoffs following numerous calls during public comment. Central Unified held a public forum on Feb. 3 to give people more information and the chance to ask questions.
The proposed layoffs follow the decision in October to lower graduation requirements from 280 credits to 230, a move that requires students to take one fewer class per day. Subtracting 50 credits allowed students to go from eight to six class periods a day, which reduces the number of teachers the district needed for certain subjects.
Teachers will also downsize from six classes to five classes each semester.
The teachers who could be laid off include five social science teachers, two Spanish teachers, one PE and dance teacher, a business teacher and a drama teacher. No tenured staff will be affected, and all the positions are probationary. Those laid off will have the right to be rehired in the order of seniority if there is a vacancy within 24 months.
Although the vote was rescheduled, community members still called in during public comment and urged the board not to lay off 10 teachers. Some teachers said reducing the number of teachers and graduation requirements does a disservice to students because they have fewer classes to choose from.
The board has said lowering credits is a way to boost graduation rates. Currently, Central Unified is in “targeted school improvement for graduation rates.” Between 300-400 students do not graduate each year.
The district has an 86% high school graduation rate, ranking fourth among the five largest local districts (Fresno, Clovis, Madera, and Sanger are the others) in graduation numbers. The previous requirements held Central Unified students to a higher standard requiring more credits than other districts in the area.
A student-run grassroots organization — Coalition for Academic Interest and Reform — has been advocating against teacher layoffs and keeping graduation requirements at 280, citing the negative effects it could have on teachers and students.
The coalition, also known as CAIR, created a change.org petition to save the 10 teachers’ jobs and has received more. CAIR also created a change.org petition in favor of keeping graduation requirements at 280. Both have more than 1,000 signatures.
The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Read more from The Bee’s Education Lab here.