Tuesday night trustees approved a hiring freeze for noncritical positions for the rest of 2010-11 as the district struggles with funding issues.
Administrators gave a brief presentation on how they are examining staffing issues as they work to avoid layoffs, which officials have said may not be possible. More specific details will be given at next week's budget workshop.
The Fort Worth school district is working to cut $30 million from its budget each of the next two years as it braces for state funding cuts.
Superintendent Melody Johnson said school districts are in a difficult position with probationary teacher contracts. Such employees must be notified 45 days before the end of school, which would be April 15, if they are not to be renewed.
Johnson said that means a decision must be made on their contracts before the district really knows how much money it will actually receive from the state for the next two years.
Sylvia Reyna, chief of administration, noted that if probationary teachers are informed that their contracts are not renewed, some could be hired back once the district knows its funding situation at a later date and would be considered before any new hire.
“We’re doing everything possible to avoid notifying them that they may not have a job,” Johnson said of probationary teachers.
Why not just make a cut across the district ? Reduce pay evenly and not harm a few , and have to pay them un-employment-----then the cut will be equal and no one is lost completely.
Milton G. Bishop
Richardson, Tx.
Posted by: Milton G. Bishop | February 23, 2011 at 10:39 PM