How did you identify certificated employees for layoff?
Certificated employees who received layoff notices were identified based primarily on their regular valid California credential(s) issued by the CCTC and seniority date.

What do you mean “regular valid California credentials”?
Regular credentials issued by the CCTC are preliminary and professional clear credentials. The following are examples which are not considered regular credentials: emergency credentials, waiver of credential by board resolution because teacher has 12 or 18 units, short term staffing permit or GATE or any “in-training” status.

Why did some of newly hired teachers not get a notification of layoff?
Those who are not probationary or permanent teachers have a temporary contract (i.e. leave replacements, restricted) received a letter reminding them that their contract ends on June 30, 2008.

What do you mean by “reassignment”?
On March 11, 2008, the Board of Education approved the reduction of certificated positions for the 2008-09 school year. The “particular kinds of service” (PKS) areas included Elementary (K-6), Nursing, Counseling, Library, and other credential subject areas. The Board authorized the reductions in each area. The equivalent number of teachers with the least seniority teaching in these subject areas was either issued layoff notices or will be reassigned if they have credentials that authorize them to teach in another subject area in which teachers with less seniority are teaching.

Example: Elementary teacher Ms. Jones has a multiple subject credential and a Physical Education supplementary credential. Ms. Jones is more senior than Mr. Smith who currently teaches PE. PE teacher Mr. Smith, who is least senior, is laid off because he has no other credential. Ms. Jones is reassigned into the PE position.

Teachers with a Science or Math credential and teaching in a science or math class were not impacted. In addition, teachers with regular credentials in Special Education, Math, Biology, Life Science, Geo-Science and Physical Science impacted by the reductions will be retained and reassigned in one of these subject areas.

What about teachers who are on leave of absence?
Teachers currently on a leave of absence who have a credential, status and/or seniority date which is impacted by the reduction of services also received a notification of termination of services. Human Resources has to consider that all teachers on leave of absence who did not receive a notification of layoff will be returning and had to identify positions for them to be assigned if they return to work for 2008-09. Teachers on leave were to notify the district by March 1, 2008, if they will return from leave (per CA Ed Code). The number of positions impacted by the layoff was adjusted by the number of leave of absences.

When can the district hire back teachers who are currently leave replacements (temporary contracts)?
Teachers who are laid off have reemployment rights up to 39 months after layoff. Teachers will be reemployed according to district needs by credential and by seniority. If there is no one available from the reemployment list in a credential area, Human Resources will offer a new contract to a regular credentialed teacher in the subject or program.

If a teacher is at a year-round school and is laid off at the end of June, can they still work until the end of the year-round calendar?
Contracts terminate effective June 30, 2008, for employees who are laid off. The district and SDEA are discussing the issue regarding teachers at year-round sites where the school year ends July 21, 2008. Information will be forthcoming.

What resources are available to teachers who receive layoff notification?
Human Resources and SDEA are planning informational meetings for certificated employees notified for layoff. Information will be provided regarding their health plan coverage, EAP, unemployment benefits, credit union services, visiting teacher opportunities and much more. The schedule of the meetings will be posted in the future.

Do all teachers who receive layoff notices have a right to a hearing?
Permanent teachers who received a “notification of termination of services” have the right to request a hearing in front of an administrative law judge. The form to request this hearing is included with the layoff notification and is to be returned to Human Resources by Tuesday, March 25, 2008. Probationary teacher layoffs are governed by the teacher collective bargaining agreement, Article 19.

What happens next?
There are a number of events that will occur that will have an impact on the final notice of layoff action:

1. Projected Staffing Allocations and Staffing Adjustments
2. Additional Leave of Absence Requests
3. Job Share Applications – Due May 1, 2008
4. Permanent Teacher Layoff Hearings – April 14, 15 and 16, 2008
5. Final Letters of Layoff Action for Permanent Teachers–Prior to May 15, 2008
6. Teacher Decisions to Retire – Continuously Received

The process of reassignment and reemployment will happen after Human Resources have the best available information which could be after June 30, 2008, and will continue until all staffing needs have been met.