How long can the city school system avoid the "L" word?
We wrote a story today about the reorganization of Baltimore city schools' central office, during which 89 employees were notified that their positions would be eliminated, and they would be placed in a pool to vie for roughly 160 open positions--if they're qualified and have a satisfactory evaluation.
The new reorganization also increases the number of full-time employees in school support "networks" from 50 to 169. This will undoubtedly be appreciated by schools who will have to make some tough staffing calls.
The school system did not indicate which departments were affected in the reorganization, saying that the new chart would be unveiled on Tuesday at the city school board meeting. Note that in the past, reorganizations have sought to decentralize and shrink administration. The school system revealed at the final hour yesterday that that central staff has grown by at least 9 in the last year.
In my attempt to dissect this reorganization, I'm noticing an interesting trend: no matter how obvious the equation is, the school system will not utter the "L" word.
In the case of the reorganization, I specifically asked if there were/would be be layoffs, and was told, "we have identified 89 employees whose current positions will not exist in the new organization and are being asked to identify other positions either inside or outside the organization."
Am I missing something?
When a person is ultimately left unemployed because their position has been eliminated--it's a layoff.
We'll see how this evasion holds up if the school system grants my request to identify schools that lost the most money this year, and we hopefully get answers about how many teachers and school staff are left without jobs. We were already told that there will be a decrease in teaching positions.
And, presumably, when there are more people than positions--unless,there is another multi-million dollar surplus of teachers carried this year--it results in.....??
As I start my first budget season with the school system, I feel fortunate that decoding its responses for the past year has become a bit of a hobby.
But, since the budget will be released relatively late this year--being presented and passed in the same month-- I hope the city takes a cue from other districts in the nation that are facing the same tough decisions when it comes to the cost of personnel.
It's evident that Baltimore is in the same boat as other school districts that are trying to do more with less, and unfortunately that will result in a loss of jobs. The only difference is that those other districts are calling it how it is.
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
What is the effect of the new teacher contract on this budget crunch?
Posted by: Teacher | May 5, 2011 5:18 PM
@ BS Paper " Where is the A. Alonso base line data that supports functioning (14) Networks after 3 SY@ City Schools" BS Paper Ask-For-It.
I wish the BS Paper City Schools education articles were all a little more specific with data, and evidence based driven. The BS Paper displays the limited best it can do with its resources and access to report critical City Schools education issues and information. We all can try to help them from time to time.
NETWORK POSITIONS TITLES &
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Posted by: Interested & Engaged Parent of City Schools | May 5, 2011 6:47 PM
How is the Hyperion budget tool workng out for the district? How much money was spend by the CFO for this tool?
Posted by: Anonymous | May 5, 2011 10:45 PM
Better yet when will they state that there are too many schools and start to close/consolidate like other major systems have. Then you will see layoffs
Posted by: OverTheTop | May 6, 2011 6:53 AM
Hyperion never flew but the city blew 7 million on it. Erica, this is a great stroy of mismanagement.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 6, 2011 9:28 PM
The Sun continues to show it's lack of understanding of the school system. How does this admin get away with statements about raising funding to schools and nothing is asked about the increased staff costs. Not to mention the most difficult schools lose as their Basic funding suppliment is cut. Finally, screw theThornton formula. Schools get under $800 extra for FARMS students while the system is actually allocated over 6K extra.
The Sun may think AAA is Super Man but anyone in the know understands he couldn't be farther from it.
Posted by: Principal | May 11, 2011 9:35 PM
And now the system is adding positions at Central Office to "support" principals while teachers are being excessed and told their services are no longer needed. What a joke!
Posted by: vetern teacher | May 12, 2011 6:51 AM
Boys and girls...
Can we say Area Offices?
Posted by: Anonymous | May 12, 2011 7:54 PM
The senior leadership doesn't have a clue what's happening in schools. They have never been principals so they operate from theory and books, or even business models.
These new positions are going to evaluate and "support" prinicpals. I guess you need that when you lose 40 principals a year due to the horrible treatment and the constant set up. No organization can consistantly replace people and make significant forward progress.
Cut the schools and keep growing the ineffective network structure.
I'd hate to see what happens to the house of cards if the State challenges the validity of the enrollment numbers. Everyone is playing the numbers to gain funding. Hell many schools are empty or running with 50% of the kids attending (of course their attendance doesn't show that).
Posted by: Principal | May 12, 2011 7:59 PM