What parents should know if Fresno Unified teachers go on strike
Thousands of Fresno Unified teachers could be on strike come Wednesday if their union and Fresno Unified don’t reach an agreement.
The Fresno Teachers Association voted last week to strike Nov. 1 after negotiations with the district failed to produce a deal by the Sept. 29 deadline.
The district serves more than 70,000 students and is the third-largest in California. It announced last week that it is ready to spend millions to continue operating during the possible strike. It will use money normally used to pay teachers to fund the thousands of substitute teachers the district will need if the strike happens.
Here’s what parents and students should know in the event of a strike.
How long can a strike last?
The strike could last as long as it takes for the teachers union and school district to reach an agreement. It’s unclear how long that could take. The last Fresno Teachers Association strike occurred in 1978 and lasted eight days. The strike by Los Angeles Unified School District workers earlier this year, when teachers also picketed, lasted three days. The Oakland teachers strike earlier this year lasted seven days.
Who will teach my child’s class? Are there enough substitute teachers?
District Spokesperson Nikki Henry told the Bee that Fresno Unified is expecting attendance to remain high. The district announced that it is ready to deploy 2,100 substitute teachers into schools. District staff who do not normally work in classrooms but have teaching credentials also will serve as substitutes.
District staff without teaching credentials might supervise lunch and passing periods and student drop-offs and pick-ups, as well as help in school offices, Henry said. Substitute teachers have passed background checks and been fingerprinted, she added. All substitute teachers are required to prove that they have a bachelor’s degree or that they are a college student who is working toward one.
“A lot of these folks have worked in our district in the past,” Henry said, “but there is a mix of new folks as well.”
What will class look like during the strike?
According to FAQ sheet for parents, “Fresno Unified is providing lesson plans and core subject curriculum that will be taught each day during a strike,” and students will not be “sent to the gym to watch movies all day.” The teachers union’s website says parents can contact their children’s teachers to ask about educational resources students can use during a strike. The district announced that students who attend school during the strike will receive academic and attendance credit.
How will the district handle my children’s attendance and grades if I keep them home?
“All students will receive semester credit and grades,” according to the district’s announcement for parents. However, while parents can choose not to send their children to school during the strike, “it is not considered an excused absence” if the strike is the student’s reason for not attending class. “Students are excused from school for personal illness, medical/dental appointments, and funeral services for an immediate family member,” the district’s announcement says.
Will school buses continue to run?
Yes, according to the district, “there will be buses to transport students.”
What about after-school programs, sports and other extracurricular events?
Parents will still be able to drop their children off for extended-day childcare before and after regular school hours end, and after-school programs will continue as planned, according to the district. High school sports competitions will continue and will be supervised by administrators and hired security. All other events “in or on Fresno Unified property or for Fresno Unified students, outside of regularly scheduled school hours and after school programs, will be canceled.”
The district’s announcement to parents says it hopes to reschedule canceled events, such as non-high school athletics competitions, camps, field trips, community meetings and more once the strike is over.
What about special education, IEPs and students with special medical needs?
While parents have posed questions about how special education and ongoing individualized education programs will be handled during a strike, the district’s FAQ sheet to parents says only that, “Any scheduled IEPs during days of a strike will need to be rescheduled, as the student’s teacher will likely not be present.” The district has allocated $451,000 to pay for any needed health services for students.
Will the schools continue to serve breakfast and lunch?
Yes, according to the district, “meals will still be provided to students in the event of a strike.”
How will schools ensure student safety during a strike?
The district said in its announcement that it will provide “additional supervision and security to each campus in the event of a strike.” Fresno Unified included $176,000 to hire security in the more than $3 million it is spending to prepare for a strike, it has previously announced.
