Some notes I took during the dinner:
- California ranks 47th out of the 50 states in academic achievement.
- CA only spends $6,000 per student in the state compared to other states like New York and New Jersey who spend $18,000-$21,000 per student.
- According to a California survey on education, 97.6% of LAUSD teachers meet expectations, but at the same time only a small percentage of LAUSD students pass the standardized tests at proficient. The numbers don't match up.
- LIFO = Last In, First Out (seniority-based layoffs)
- Quality-blind = it eliminates great teachers.
- Disproportionately affects students in low-income areas.
- Have to let go 45% more teachers not due to performance, but because they have less experience. Also note that younger teachers are paid less, which would save the district money (but these are the teachers who are let go first).
- Because of LIFO, some teachers in certain schools turn against each other. There was a teacher at the dinner who had the same qualifications as another teacher at her school, but one of them had to be let go. How did they choose? They had to choose popsicle sticks. The person who drew the shortest one had to be let go.
- A student who came to the dinner, complained about how her school had to let go 1-2 PE teachers. As a result, each PE class had up to 52 students or more. Due to that amount, none of them are able to use the pool due to safety regulations (a max of only 35-40 can use the pool).
- A community college professor talked about how her husband brought his school to the state championships and won (forgot for what sport/activity though). During that year, all his senior students graduated from high school. At the end of the school year, he was let go. The next academic school year, the students who would have been his students if he were to have kept his jobs... 30% of them got incarcerated and 19% of them dropped out.
Our course of action is to contact our state legislators and inform them about how LIFO is ruining California's education system and is a disservice to all our students. Our main goal right now is to get rid of LIFO!!!
Please write to your representatives!
"Dear ________________________,
My name is _____________________, I am a ____________________________ (parent, teacher, student, business person, concerned citizen) in district ___________.
I'm writing to you because I believe EVERY child in EVERY classroom deserves to have a great teacher. I urge you to end California's "last in, first out" (LIFO) layoff policy to make sure that we keep our most effective teachers in the classroom.
Teachers have a tremendous impact on student success. To give every California child the education they deserve, we need to make sure every child -- in every school -- has a great teacher. Inside the school building, the teacher is the single most important factor to student success.
[Write your own experiences and thoughts].
No one wants teacher layoffs. But if they are necessitated by budget shortfalls, our most effective teachers must be protected. Currently, California is one of only 11 states that still mandates that teacher layoffs, when necessary, be based on years of employment, rather than effectiveness. This is harmful to students, teachers, and schools.
In fact, a recent report from the non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office said that California's current layoff policies 'lower the quality of the overall teacher workforce.' In addition, this law is hurting our low-income communities the hardest, where many junior teachers want to teach. Our kids deserve change now.
Please give our students the best possible chance at success by making sure they have the best possible teachers. End these outdated bureaucratic policies now and make sure that all of our kids have access to the great teachers they deserve.
Sincerely,
_______________________________
[Address]"
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