FL: Broward schools lay off 27 librarians, cut art classes, run ads in NY for teachers.

[madfloridian]

Sometimes something is just so outrageous it needs to have more attention called to it. Broward County, Florida, is laying off teachers, perhaps as many as 800. They are cutting back on art classes, music classes, and PE.

From the Miami Herald today:

Broward schools cut back on arts, PE

Superintendent Jim Notter has said more than 800 teachers could lose their jobs. And at least 461 employees who work outside the classroom will also get pink slips, with district administrative departments whacking their budgets 16 percent.

The school district tasked principals with slashing 6 percent of their budgets for the fiscal year that begins July 1, though board members asked that arts programs only be eliminated as a last resort. Not all Broward schools offer art, music and PE to begin with, and some elementary schools cut -- or decided to keep -- other electives, such as Spanish.

..."In total, five elementaries completely did away with art -- but kept some sort of music program -- and three elementaries got rid of music -- but kept art.

``That's good news,'' board member Stephanie Kraft said.

But she acknowledged that library programs, known as media programs, took a bigger hit, with 27 elementaries eliminating their staffs entirely.

I can not imagine being a teacher without a media specialist aka a librarian. I remember even my second graders did library research, and of course when I taught higher grades they did even more. I could send them with an assignment cleared with the librarian...and the resources were there for them.

Yet while all the layoffs are going on, the county is advertising in New York for teachers to come and "Teach on the Beach."

From March:

Broward district runs ad in NY for teachers after laying off nearly 400 of them here.

``TEACH near the BEACH!'' read the education jobs posting in the Feb. 28 edition of The New York Times.

The ad was for the Broward school district, which is recruiting teachers this week -- in New York City. Yes, this is the same district that laid off nearly 400 teachers last summer and faces another budget shortfall that could result in more lost jobs this year. Yet Broward is looking to the Big Apple -- as well as locally -- to find teachers to fill jobs in critical areas where there is a consistent shortage, said Rebecca Brito, the school system's director of instructional staffing.

..."With unemployment in Florida at 11.8 percent, the Broward Teachers Union doesn't think the district should be looking for prospective employees anywhere but here.

``They are threatening to lay off teachers in June, and they're going out of state in order to hire teachers,'' BTU President Pat Santeramo said. ``It does not make any sense.''

Interestingly enough, this county was one of the finalists for the The Broad Prize for Urban Education. I believe that county and the other finalists each received $250,000 from the Eli Broad Foundation.

For the second year in a row, Broward is one of five urban school districts in the country hoping to win a prestigious $1 million education prize.

Broward public schools will find out this week if they have edged out school districts from across the country to win a competition that has been dubbed the Nobel Prize for public education.

The Broad Prize for Urban Education (Broad rhymes with road) will be announced in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. The winner will come home with $1 million in student scholarships.

Even if Broward doesn't win, the school district -- and the other four nominees -- will receive $250,000 for showing consistent improvement in reading and math skills among poor and minority students.

But winning would give Broward major bragging rights -- and provide a much-needed boost to the district after a bruising summer of layoffs and steep budget cuts.

``It's a validation,'' Schools Superintendent Jim Notter said. ``We're really not a fluke. There's real greatness in our school system and teaching staff.''

Now it appears he is laying off some of that "greatness" in their county system and heading to New York to find new teachers to replace them.

Outrageous.

[madfloridian]

1. Maybe 1000 teachers will be laid off.

http://www.examiner.com/x-18776-Miami-Labor-Relations-Examiner~y2010m4d22-1000-Broward-teachers-to-lose-their-jobs

From April, so not sure of the total number...only that they are advertising for teachers in NY

"Next week, the Broward County School Board will meet to discuss how many teachers will lose their jobs.

Broward School district James Notter said that between 800 and 1,000 will lose their jobs.

The Broward School district announced that 461 non-classroom employees will lose their jobs. This includes secretaries, custodians and project managers. These people will lost their jobs over the next few days. This will enable the district to save money as it battles a budget shortfall of $130 million."

[madfloridian]

2. Kick before archiving.

It's an outrage.