Record number of teachers likely to see pink slips EDUCATION

El Dorado Elementary School Principal Tai-Sun Schoeman participates in a parent-teacher conference at the school in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, February 25, 2011. Schoeman is dealing with concerns that his school will see layoffs as teachers across the state will receive pink slips by March 15. less El Dorado Elementary School Principal Tai-Sun Schoeman participates in a parent-teacher conference at the school in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, February 25, 2011. Schoeman is dealing with concerns that ... more Photo: Laura Morton, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Laura Morton, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close Record number of teachers likely to see pink slips 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

A record number of California teachers could see pink slips in their mailboxes over the next two weeks as school districts prepare for the worst possible budget scenario.

With the state budget hinging on proposed June ballot measures to extend and increase taxes, school districts won't know until summer whether they'll get enough money from the state to keep all their teachers.

Billions of dollars hang in the balance, but the uncertainty could force districts next month to send layoff notices to some 30,000 or more teachers, an increase from the 20,000 to 25,000 teachers who got a notice last year, education and labor officials said Friday.

The notices, required by state law to be sent out by March 15, will advise the teachers, mostly those with the least seniority, that they might not have a job next year. The layoffs must be confirmed in mid-May.

The process typically requires local education officials to play an annual guessing game because they never know how much state funding they'll get until the Legislature passes a budget during the summer.

Greater uncertainty

This year, the uncertainty is magnified by Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed ballot measures, which haven't yet been put on the ballot and are being opposed by Republicans in the Legislature. Success or failure of the measures would mean a difference in revenue of about $14 billion for the state in general and $2 billion for public schools. That pencils out to about $330 for each of the state's 6 million students.

"I think it's safe to say it's not going to be any better than last year and it has the potential to be worse," said Jonathan Goldman, California Teachers Association director of communications.

For Oakland Unified it will definitely be a lot worse.

The district has avoided teacher pink slips for several years, relying on federal stimulus funding and other one-time revenue sources to keep budget cuts away from the classroom.

This year, administrators will be recommending the school board approve at least 400 teacher layoff notices, said district spokesman Troy Flint.

"Basically there aren't any more options," Flint said.

The school board's vote is expected March 9.

Like most districts, Oakland is preparing two budgets. The first assumes voters will pass the tax measures. The second assumes the ballot measures fail and includes the extensive layoffs.

Demoralizing process

The layoff process is unnerving and demoralizing to schools and communities, especially those with a larger share of new teachers, education officials said.

At San Francisco's El Dorado Elementary, at least half of the school's 15 teachers are expecting to receive a layoff notice by March 15.

Principal Tai Schoeman lamented the way the newest teachers are treated every year. "They work with the neediest kids at times, in the neediest communities, and they're being treated like second-class citizens," he said.

The city's school board is expected to vote Tuesday on the number of layoff notices the district will send out.

Last year, the board approved 900 notices for teachers and teachers' aides and ultimately rescinded most. This year, Superintendent Carlos Garcia is expected to recommend pink slip notices for 208 teachers and aides this year as well as 140 administrator notices.

School board President Hydra Mendoza believes the board will be able to reduce the hit to teachers this year by using some leftover stimulus funding and $8 million in city Rainy Day money. Teacher attrition caused by retirement and other departures will also help.

"I think we smartly held onto (stimulus funding) knowing this year would be worse than last," said Mendoza. "It's still not going to be enough to save all our teachers and staff."

Push to change rules

Education advocates say the layoff rules need to change, delaying the first notices until state budget numbers solidify, while limiting seniority rules so schools with the newest teachers don't get hit so hard.

It's an "extraordinarily corrosive process," said Arun Ramanathan, executive director of the Education Trust-West, an Oakland-based nonprofit, which released a report this week on the negative effects of layoffs, especially on low-achieving schools.

"You see these teachers who get these notices year after year after year," he said. "It doesn't have to be that way."