DC Teachers: Are You Ready For A Buyout, Early Retirement Or 1 year To Get Another Job ?

All these options are subject to government approval and could be the new reality for DC teachers' futures, that is if we get to vote on a proposed WTU contract (excerpts listed below). Oh by the way, DC probationary teachers seems you've been left out in the cold again by Chancellor Rhee, WTU President George Parker and AFT President Randi Weingarten. I don't know about you but I think we should all throw out those 'STUPID buttons' that AFT mass-produced which state we want "a contract that is good for students and fair to teachers." Oh really ?

I am sure that you have been anxiously awaiting the inside details of the status of our DC Teacher contract proposal as I have. On this past Saturday at the WTU Building Representative training at the AFT office- WTU president George Parker stated he still does not have a contract proposal to deliver to DC teachers despite his letter to union members that we were awaiting a feasibility study by the Rhee administration. So it seems according to Parker that now there are sticking points which in his words could lead to an impasse. I think we have heard this before and it is unclear what games Parker and Rhee are really playing. I thought the issue was determining whether there was the money to fund the most recent contract proposal. Now Parker states that it's more than that.

My inside source has provided me with a look-see at various sections of the DC teacher contract proposal. Despite earlier claims from my informant that there would be a 20 year retirement offered to DC teachers, so it seems based on this written proposal that teachers would only be given this option at the government's discretion. The bad news is that teachers could be subjected to performance based excessing. Even if teachers perform well on their annual performance appraisal- this does not guarentee them a job. They could be terminated if they are unable to get hired by another school and may be subjected to being a long term sub at various schools or other designated jobs even within the central office.

It sounds exactly like what Rhee proposed in her five year educational plan to rid our school system of a significant share of her teacher and related school personnel work force. Read this section which appears in Article 2. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the impact of performance based-excessing.

Article 2 - Performance Based Excessing Policy. This section states:

2.1.1 An excess is an elimination of a Member's position at a particular school due to a decline in student enrollment, a reduction in the local school budget, a closing or consolidation, a restructuring, a change in the local school program, or a reduction in force.

2.1.1 A Member of a particular school shall not be excessed when a change in that school creates a position in that school for which the current staff Member is certified.

2.2.2 When the competitive area (determined in accordance with Title 5 of the DCMR) is the School, the Local School Restructuring Team (LSRT) shall make a recommendation as to the area(s) of certification to be affected and the Personnel Committee shall make a recommendation as to the individual(s) to be affected.

2.2.3 DCPS shall retain the right to make the final excessing decision according to the following rubric:

1) previous year's final evaluation (highest earns 70 points, second highest earns 60 points, third highest earns 50 points, fourth highest earns 0 points and lowest earns 0 points.

2). unique skills and qualifications (high earns 10 points, medium earns 5 points and low earns 0 points.

3). other contributions to the local education program (high earns 10 points, medium earns 5 points and low earns 0 points.

4. length of service (20 plus years earns 10 points, 10-19 years earns 5 points and 1-9 years earns 1 point. *Individuals with DC residency at the time of excessing shall receive a 5 year serice credit. Individuals with a veteran preference at the time of excessing shall also receive a 5 year service credit.

2.2.5 The Member in the competitive area with the lowest point value overall according to the rubric shall be the first Member to be excessed. The Member with the second lowest point value shall be the second Member to be excessed, and so on.

2.2.6 When the competitive area is the school, and when DCPS's final decision (based on the above rubric) departs from the recommendation of the LSRT or the Personnel Committee, the Supervisor shall prepare a written justification. A copy of the justification shall be provided to the President of the Washington Teachers' Union.

2.5.1 Any permanent status Member who received a rating of effective or higher on the DCPS educator evaluation system and was excessed shall be placed by DCPS in a new position for which they are certified before any new hires in that area of certification. If no position exists, the Member will have a year to secure a new position as outlined in Option3 in section 2.5.1.3.

2.6 Excessed permanent status Members shall have sixty (60) calendar days following the effective date of the excess to secure another placement in DCPS under performance based placement OR select one of the following options:

2.6.1.1. Option 1: BUYOUT

Excessed permanent status Members shall have the option to receive a $25,000 cash buyout resulting in separation from DCPS. This provision shall be the subject to necessary government approvals.

2.6.1.1.2 An excesed permanent status Member who opts for the buyout shall not be eligible for employment with DCPS for a period of three (3) years.

2.6.1.1.3 This option shall only be available to permanent status Members whose most recent evaluation was "Effective" or higher.

2.6.1.2 Option 2: Early Retirement

Excessed permanent status Members with twenty (20) or more years of creditable service shall have the option of retiring with full benefits. This provision shall be subject to necessary government approvals.

2.6.1.2.2 This option shall only be available to Members who have 20 or more years of creditable service.

2.6.1.3 Option 3: A year to Secure a New Position

2.6.1.3.1 Excessed permanent status Members who have been unable to secure a new placement during the sixty (60) days following the effective date of the excess, and who have not selected Option 1 or Option 2 above, shall have the right to select Option 3.

2.6.1.3.2 The year to secure a new position hall begin on the 61st day following the effective date of excess and shall conclude exactly one calendar year thereafter.

2.6.1.3.3 Excessed permanent status Members who opt for a year to secure a new positions shall during the year, be:

2.6.1.3.3.1 provided with full salary and benefits;
2.6.1.3.3.2 provided with multiple hiring opportunities
2.6.1.3.3.3 provided with the opportunity of twelve (12) hours of professional development that shall include instruction or interviewing skills and the creation of professional portfolios; and
2.6.1.3.3.4 assigned by DCPS to serve in one (1) or more instructional support capacities (e.g. one to one tutoring, small group instruction, class coverage, long-term teacher replacement or central office support) that are within the Member's discipline and located at a maximum of two (2) work locations per school year.

2.6.1.3.4 The assignment referenced above shall not be subject to performance based placement.

2.6.1.3.5 DCPS shall have the right, at the conclusion of the year to secure a new position, to terminate all excessed permanent status Members who are unable to secure a new placement within the school system under performance based placement during the year.

2.6.1.3.6 The year to secure a new position option shall only be open to permanent status Members whose most recent evaluation was "Effective" or higher.

Assuming this proposal gets worked out, are you ready to vote this proposal up or down ? You tell me.

Posted by The Washington Teacher