Boyd bill targets teacher layoffs - Lancaster Online 3/7/2011

Boyd bill targets teacher layoffs
School districts want the freedom to furlough teachers for economic reasons; teachers union opposes the measure
Intelligencer Journal
Lancaster New Era
Updated Mar 07, 2011 21:35
BRIAN WALLACE, Staff Writer

State Rep. Scott Boyd of West Lampeter has introduced legislation that would make it easier for schools to furlough teachers for economic reasons.

Boyd last week introduced House Bill 855, which would amend the School Code to give school districts more discretion in implementing layoffs.

The legislation is similar to a bill introduced last month in the Senate by state Sen. Mike Folmer of Lebanon.

The state teachers' union has objected to the changes, claiming the changes would encourage schools to cut teachers and increase class sizes simply to keep taxes low.

But school district officials say they need more leeway in controlling the size of their teaching staffs, whose salaries and benefits represent 40 percent or more of most districts' budgets.

Currently, teachers can be furloughed only if a district has had a major enrollment decline, eliminated courses or programs or consolidated or reorganized its schools.

Layoffs also must be implemented on a "last hired, first furloughed" basis, and all laid-off teachers have a right to fill future job openings in the district from which they are furloughed.

Economic conditions don't factor into layoff decisions, and Boyd thinks that's wrong, especially given the current difficult economic times.

For the past several years, Lancaster County school districts have been reducing their teaching staffs through attrition, but with steep state and federal funding cuts looming next year, they've had to make more drastic cuts for 2011-12.

While nearly every district has announced plans to eliminate support staff and administrators and impose wage freezes, few school districts have announced teacher furloughs.

Eastern Lancaster County School District will furlough 15 teachers at year's end, and Manheim Township is planning to lay off five educators.

Elanco's cuts are in response to an enrollment decline. Manheim Township's layoffs will coincide with the planned elimination of technology courses and its Work Prep program at the high school and the scrapping of its fourth-grade instrumental music program and other music classes.

Few county school districts are experiencing enrollment declines, and district officials have complained that they shouldn't have to cut programs simply to reduce their teaching staffs.

Boyd's legislation would allow districts to furlough teachers if the cuts are necessary to help them stay within their property tax limits imposed under Act 1. Districts would have to provide public documentation on the need for layoffs and wait at least 10 days before voting on them.

The furloughs would be based not on seniority but on teacher performance, certification status and "other specific qualifications established by the school entity," according to the legislation.

Folmer's bill would require that districts furloughing teachers also reduce their administrative staffs by the same ratio of employees.

But a provision in that bill would allow districts to seek relief from the requirement if it "is likely to cause significant harm to the operations of the school district."

During a hearing March 2 on Boyd's legislation, the Pennsylvania State Education Association objected to the criteria that would be used for layoffs.

Districts should be required to show evidence they have cut spending in non-academic areas and raised taxes to the maximum limits before considering layoffs, PSEA treasurer W. Gerard Oleksiak said.

He also objected to eliminating the seniority provision of the current law and replacing it with "arbitrary measures which appear to be left up to each individual school district."

"We know that experience matters," Oleksiak said. "Leaving seasoned, experienced educators in the classroom is a tangible benefit to our state's students."

Without stricter controls on layoffs, "some school boards would be tempted to emphasize lower taxes over quality educational programs," he said.

Boyd admitted his legislation "is a work in progress" and said he is willing to consider changes to the "trigger" that enables districts to begin furloughs.

But he's not in favor of retaining the seniority requirement.

"I clearly do not want to have it that seniority be the only factor" that determines who gets laid off, Boyd said.

"The bill needs to address what's best for kids. We want to keep the best of the best (teachers) in the system."

County school officials said they support the legislation.

"It would be far easier for consistency in the classroom to furlough for economic reasons," said Michael Leichliter, superintendent of Penn Manor School District.

Hempfield superintendent Brenda Becker and Manheim Central school chief Bill Clark also said they support the legislation.

"If we could furlough for economic reasons, we could lessen the blow to any one department or program," Becker said in an e-mail.

"It would be better for our students and more palatable for our community if we could simply scale back some programs across the board rather than totally eliminate portions or all parts of a program."

Boyd's bill is expected to come up for a vote next week in the House Education Committee.

bwallace@lnpnews.com

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