Friends –
Your Culver City Federation of Teachers bargaining team met again with the CCUSD management team last Wednesday, and it was a good session.
The highlights:
1. CCUSD has agreed with us, in principle, to try and move our salaries to the median in Los Angeles County over the next five years. Currently we are about 10 percent below the median. The fact that they see our substandard compensation as a problem and are committing to addressing it, are good first steps. We hope to have more concrete news at our next session.
2. We did not hit our target number (12) for retirees this year, so the financial incentive will not kick in this year. What we hope CCUSD has learned from this experience is that the incentive needs to be large enough to move someone on the fence to make a move to retire. We will try to bargain a more significant incentive for next year.
3. The teams worked on a job description and shared ideas about compensation for teachers who serve as the “administrative designee” when the principal is off campus.
4. The teams also worked to find solutions to the large number of SST's and IEP's, particularly at those elementary sites with large special ed populations. A related concern – mainstreaming of special ed students at those elementary sites – was also discussed.
5. We are forming subcommittees to address concerns around Class Size, Evaluation and Health Benefits. We have volunteers for the Evaluation Committee but need volunteers to work on Class Size and Health Benefits. Contact me if you wish to help.
Committees can be the place where things go to die. Or they can be places where solutions are found. I believe the new, collaborative relationship we're developing here will carry over to that committee work.
Finally, a big shout-out to Lin Howe for being recognized with a Title 1 Achievement Award. La Ballona has been recognized in the past, and it says good things about us that we continue to excel in these tough times.
The teams meet again on May 13. Don't hesitate to contact me or any member of our team: Casey Chabola, Lin Howe; Tayo Balogun, CCMS; and Carmen Campos at El Marino.
Mr. Mielke, President of the Teachers Union, may be contacted at davidmielke@ccusd.org
