[Editor’s Note: Mr. Zeidman is vice president of the School Board.]
I don’t normally communicate School Board business via newspapers.
But there has been less than complete information provided to you, and I wanted to take this opportunity to give each of you in the community the complete factual background regarding mileage allowances for two assistant superintendents, plus the incorrect perception that the Board hired an additional administrator.
Mileage Allowance
The mileage allowance issue is one we keep hearing about from different organizations. Yet I don’t believe those organizations truly understand the situation.
Under California Labor Code §2802, employees are entitled to mileage reimbursement for travel from workplace to meetings, other workplaces, etc. (not to and from work). The reimbursable amount, right now, is $0.50 per mile (a bit lower than it was two years ago).
We were provided documentation showing that the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services travels, on average, more than 500 miles per month, to and from school, to meetings, etc. Indeed she traveled, I believe, 562 miles last month (this does not include travel from home to work).
At the $0.50/mile, her monthly reimbursement would have been $281 last month. She would likely be at or above $250/month for the remaining 11 months of the year. We were informed that the same is true for the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services. We can pay a flat rate of $250/month, without having paperwork to process and checks to cut. Or, we can pay each back somewhere in the neighborhood of $250/month or more, and go through the paperwork and check cutting.
I don’t know the cost of having someone doing the paperwork and cutting the checks, but I will bet there is a cost associated with it. Thus, since we are going to be on the hook for somewhere near or above $250/month under Labor Code §2802, we felt it better to go ahead with the car allowance.
Indeed, in the long run, this will save the District money, not cost money. This is likely the reason that virtually every other district allows car allowances as well. Of course, this information wasn’t provided in the emails sent previously by those other organizations.
Administration
Personnel changes are effective July 1. Prior to July 1, we have a Director of Special Education, and an Assistant Director of Pupil Services. Both positions are vital and necessary. Indeed, it is pretty much undisputed that the Pupil Services position more than pays for itself by helping to retain students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to remain in our district.
The Director of Special Education is retiring. In a small restructuring, we decided to make the Pupil Services position a Director with more responsibilities, and we decided to make the Special Education position (which handled more than Special Education) an Assistant Director, and give those other (non-Special Education) responsibilities to the Pupil Services position, where they rightfully belong.
So, prior to July 1, 2010, we had two positions, one director and one assistant director. After July 1, 2010, we will have two positions, one director and one assistant director. While we have tried to cut wherever possible, it was impossible to cut the position overseeing special education, especially in light of the huge encroachment that special education has on our general fund. Likewise, as the Pupil Services position brings in more money than it costs, it made no sense to eliminate that position.
The end result is no new positions, just different names for the existing positions.
Please feel free to contact me if you should have any questions or comments. I can be reached via telephone at 310.925.8207, or via email at Scott.Zeidman@laslots.com
Thank you.
