Dallas School District Laying Off 550 Teachers

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by MeezDiscreet

I'm a truly awesome product of DISD and I teach in Houston ISD! Just wanted to throw that in...

From what I understand, a huge factor in this was principals over-hiring teachers. I believe this is due to deregulation of school budgets. It is no longer overseen by a district office but rather each principal is in charge of their school budget based on projected school enrollment. When the new school year ends, school budgets are adjusted for actual enrollment after a certain cut-off date.

I'm sure that there is some fiscal responsibility training involved in principal programs but, essentially, you have people who may have started their education career as a kindergarten principal or an 8th grade history teacher in charge of the huge operating budget of a school. You almost have to expect irregularities.

As for those district positions, I have no theory on that.

No, it was not the fault of the principals. The Central Office of DISD has admitted that it was their own accounting errors.

[MeezDiscreet]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

No, it was not the fault of the principals. The Central Office of DISD has admitted that it was their own accounting errors.

The super. has "taken responsibility" but I haven't read where the ultimate blame falls on the central office.

Check out: http://www.nbc5i.com/education/17494568/detail.html

Specifically:

Hinojosa blames the budget shortfall on accounting errors.


"I'm ultimately responsible for everything that happens in the district, so I take responsibility," Hinajosa said on Friday. "Part of that responsibility is to provide you with viable alternatives, as painful as they may be."

Additionally, http://www.nbc5i.com/news/17533201/detail.html

Hinajosa told the meeting's attendees that the district basically hired too many people and underestimated the average salary of its teachers.

Teacher vacancies are a function of individual campuses and teacher salaries are a part of the individual school budgets.

[SWTXBelle]

Are these the same brainiacs who decided that they would no longer require students to turn in work by any sort of deadline?

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Are these the same brainiacs who decided that they would no longer require students to turn in work by any sort of deadline?

Yep. And only if it will improve the students' grades.

It still shocks me that someone thought these ideas were good.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Are these the same brainiacs who decided that they would no longer require students to turn in work by any sort of deadline?

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Yep. And only if it will improve the students' grades.

It still shocks me that someone thought these ideas were good.

I think the grade inflating policies are actually pretty widespread, even in seemingly functional districts; it's just that most schools and districts don't make them available to the press.

Sad.

[knight_shadow]

Up to 450 teachers will be terminated this afternoon in the Dallas Independent School District’s efforts to close a projected $84 million budget shortfall. The district also plans to cut up to 50 non-teaching positions today. Most schools in the district will be touched, according to a preliminary list of teacher layoffs obtained by The Dallas Morning News.

[ full story ]

Termination during the school day. Great job, DISD

[epchick]

I just found out that the EPISD new superintendent came from DISD. My mom's just said, "thank God i'm retiring soon so I don't have to deal with any downfall from this ..... " lol.

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Up to 450 teachers will be terminated this afternoon in the Dallas Independent School District’s efforts to close a projected $84 million budget shortfall. The district also plans to cut up to 50 non-teaching positions today. Most schools in the district will be touched, according to a preliminary list of teacher layoffs obtained by The Dallas Morning News.

[ full story ]

Termination during the school day. Great job, DISD

Story from a friend who teaches in DISD: (no, not an urban myth, this is true)

Teachers were supposed to be let go at the end of the day. One of their teachers was called into the principal's office 1st period. The teacher was told to start packing immediately. He had to go back to his classroom - with students in there- and begin packing up his room.

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

Story from a friend who teaches in DISD: (no, not an urban myth, this is true)

Teachers were supposed to be let go at the end of the day. One of their teachers was called into the principal's office 1st period. The teacher was told to start packing immediately. He had to go back to his classroom - with students in there- and begin packing up his room.

That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard in my life.

It is hard enough to get people to be teachers, since I'm sure it is beyond stressful to have to deal with 80+ random kids a day on top of everything else that goes into it and then to have to go through that kind of b.s. is just wrong.

[BabyPiNK_FL]

So if he had to pack up then what were the students supposed to do? Sit there? Who is going to teach them the next day? Were the assigned to new classes while all this was going on? That's crazy. This is something you wait for 3 months before summer to announce and then make it effective as of the beginning of summer to provide time.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

So if he had to pack up then what were the students supposed to do? Sit there? Who is going to teach them the next day? Were the assigned to new classes while all this was going on? That's crazy. This is something you wait for 3 months before summer to announce and then make it effective as of the beginning of summer to provide time.

It's a great time to be a sub in Dallas!

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

So if he had to pack up then what were the students supposed to do? Sit there? Who is going to teach them the next day? Were the assigned to new classes while all this was going on? That's crazy. This is something you wait for 3 months before summer to announce and then make it effective as of the beginning of summer to provide time.

Other teachers were pulled in during their planning/conference periods to cover the class. I don't know for sure, but I am guessing that the students will be assigned to new classes.