The Benicia Unified School District governing board has a busy night ahead.
As part of its full slate tonight, the board will hear a presentation from Assistant Superintendent Michael Gardner on a plan to reduce the number of classified, or non-teaching, positions.
The move is being made because of a reduction of some kinds of services for the 2015-16 school year, according to Gardner’s report to the board.
“With the uncertain funding of grants, categorical funding and the needs assessments changing for the District, Benicia Unified School District needs to reduce classified staffing for the 2015-16 school year to offset their losses in revenue,” the report said.
The following positions to be reduced are: one Elementary Guidance Assistant-Group, 0.55 full-time equivalent (FTE) position; two Elementary Guidance Assistant-Individual positions to .4 FTE (one is currently at .425 FTE and one at .525 FTE); and one Special Education Assistant at Liberty High School, to 0.75 FTE position.
Classified employees must be notified 60 calendar days in advance if their positions are to be reduced and/or eliminated, Gardner’s report noted.
Certificated, or teaching, district employees will get some attention tonight as well. Gardner will make a presentation to the board on a declaration of need for fully qualified educators.
“Each year prior to June 30, public school districts must file with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) a declaration of need for fully qualified educators,” he said in a report to the board.
The declaration provides the district’s best current estimate of the number of emergency teaching permits and limited-assignment permits it expects to need to staff the schools, as well as local efforts it will make to certify, assign and develop fully qualified certificated staff for the upcoming school year.
A signed, board-approved declaration must be on file with the CCTC for any emergency permits to be issued to certificated employees on the district’s behalf, the report said.
In other business, the Solano County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) is requesting that the district adopt Resolution 14-15-15 that governs the terminology to be used when referring to students with a disabilities or special needs. “A child with Down Syndrome” would be used instead of “a Down Syndrome child,” for example; also “children with special needs” instead of “special-needs children,” and “a child with autism” instead of “an autistic child.”
“Solano County SELPA’s Core Values include the belief that the diversity of our students, staff, and community strengthens and enriches our community,” the resolution states.
“Words have an impact on how we think and act.”
If You Go
The BUSD Governing Board will meet tonight at 6 in a closed session, then at 7 in open session in the BUSD board room, 350 East K St. See the complete agenda at benicia.agendaonline.net/public.
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I am the special education assistant being layed off at Liberty High School. I have been there since 2002 and I can assure you Liberty Students need an assistant there more than 3 hours a day. I am there from the time the students arrive and when they leave and one hour after to help those students who need to earn extra credits in order to graduate. I am very disappointed in the direction the district is taking to cut funding. If they want to cut funding they should consider reducing their salaries . I make very little money and neither do the other aides at Benicia High School. I guarantee my position won’t be the last one to be cut. I hope the parents of these students realize what direction the district is taking with their kids who have special needs and at Liberty they also are at risk students who need someone there to help them with work, emotional problems and drug related issues. Although I have endured cuts before, I stayed at Liberty because I get those kids. I understand them and they trust me. It was never about the money, for me, it’s always been about the kids who sometimes have no one else to turn to but the faculty at Liberty High School. This is a very sad year for me. I wanted to go out on a happy note, but instead I am being forced out of a job that I absolutely love. I will be watching my last students graduate this year at the Marina on the Green. I will leave behind my juniors and sophomores who have come to depend on an aide being there all day.There is a special education meeting being held at the boardroom on Tuesday, May 26th at 3:30. I am sure no parents were told of this meeting. If I had a student in special education in the secondary level I would want to know what direction the district will be taking in this department. Thank you, J.J. Renworth