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In their latest show of
disrespect, Yuba City Unified School District (YCUSD) officials last week
broke their promise to meet to discuss resolution of the 2015-16 contract
impasse. Yuba City Teachers Association (YCTA) went to the meeting with
district officials on Wednesday, August 24, prepared to discuss resolution of
the 2015-16 impasse and avert a strike. Unfortunately, the district made it
clear it had no interest in doing so. Later the same day, YCUSD further
ignored the impasse by emailing YCTA a proposal for 2016-17 and beyond, as
well as releasing it to the public. The district continues to use these
smoke-and-mirrors delay tactics to mislead the public and ignore the real
issue: attracting and retaining the best teachers for the kids of Yuba City.
Last year, more than one in 10 teachers left Yuba City schools — and that’s
no wonder, when the district persists in paying its teachers well below the
state average.
“While the YCUSD superintendent
and the school board acknowledge there is a teacher shortage, they aren’t
addressing the needs of our district. At the same time, neighboring districts
and others statewide are consciously improving salary schedules to attract
and retain qualified teachers. Our district should be doing the same thing.
Yuba City teachers already make 13 percent less than the state average,” said
Yuba City Teachers Association President Dina Luetgens. “We can’t afford to
wait. Unless the district does the right thing for our students and schools,
I fear the exodus will continue. Our students, teachers and community deserve
a greater investment than the district is offering. Creating a stable and
rewarding learning environment with the best teachers in the classroom for
Yuba City students is well within the hands and budget of the district.”
YCUSD Superintendent Nancy Aaberg
and the school board continue to tell the community that YCUSD can’t use
Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) money to improve teacher salaries. This
is another attempt to mislead the public. State Superintendent of Public
Instruction Tom Torlakson made clear in a letter to all districts that they
“may use supplemental and concentration funds for a general salary increase
in a manner consistent with the expenditure regulations and LCAP Template
regulations. …A district may be able to document in its LCAP [Local Control
Accountability Plan] that its salaries result in difficulties in recruiting,
hiring, or retaining qualified staff which adversely affects the quality of
the district’s educational program.”
During the development of the
district’s LCAP, YCUSD acknowledged significant stakeholder input
demonstrating the need to attract and retain great teachers. Despite this
community input, YCUSD continues to refuse to make this investment in
students. When a district like YCUSD is having trouble attracting and
retaining teachers, it can and should use LCFF concentration and supplemental
dollars for across-the-board salary improvements to attract and retain
quality teachers in an effort to improve student achievement.
If YCUSD can’t compete for great
teachers, it won’t matter what programs it offers.
“Our students need and deserve the
best teachers in order to receive the best education possible,” said
Luetgens. “Yuba City teachers are proud to speak out for our students’
education. It’s what we do every day. While YCTA is committed to reaching an
agreement for the current 2015-16 impasse, we are prepared to stand up and
strike to make our schools attractive again to the best teachers around.”
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