Message from Superintendent Chris King 9/28/2009
(emailed to parents/guardians and sent via U.S. Postal Service to households for which BVSD has no email addresses)

Dear Parents and Guardians of BVSD Students:

You may have seen comments in the local media regarding the possibility of a strike or “job action” on the part of teachers in BVSD. 

“Job action” can mean one of several actions including teaching to contract (teaching during the school day but not before or after class hours), high teacher absenteeism, teacher picketing and/or an actual teacher strike.

This letter is to inform our parents and guardians that in the event that such actions occur, the district is developing contingency plans such as increasing our substitute teacher pool  and working with principals on plans to keep schools open, continue offering education services, and keep children safe. If it is not possible to keep your child’s school open on a given day, we will notify you through the media and school-based communication that the school will be closed for the day. 

If you are interested in further understanding the current contract negotiations, you may go to the BVSD website (www.bvsd.org ) as well as the BVEA website (www.bouldervalleyea.org). Please feel free to contact me at superintendent@bvsd.org if you have any questions or concerns you would like to share.

Sincerely,

Christopher King, Ph.D.
Superintendent

Unit B Employee Rights & Responsibilities During a Labor Dispute

 Question and Answer Powerpoint - 9/24/2009

BVSD Superintendent Chris King’s Report to the Board of Education 9/22/2009

Mister President, I regret to note that last Thursday evening’s [September 17] mediation session of more than seven hours was unsuccessful in moving the district and union negotiating teams any closer to achieving a tentative agreement.

The district, because of an expected uptick in enrollment above what was projected last spring, did change a key component of our offer from a 1% stipend to a 1% cost of living adjustment known as a “COLA.” I did not approve this change in our offer lightly and it does not come without risk to the district.

That risk is found in the combination of two key factors – the continually deteriorating financial picture for Colorado state government and the current lack of any new revenue stream for our district.

We have known for a few weeks that the governor intended to propose a statewide cut of $140 million to Colorado K-12 funding by cutting dollars to K-12 not believed to be protected by Amendment 23. This represents a projected $5 million cut to BVSD as of July 1, 2010.

Yesterday [September 21], the legislature’s budget research staff announced that their analysis, based upon a fifth straight poor revenue forecast, showed that the governor’s cuts are too low and millions more will ultimately need to be cut next year.

With this year’s budget, we were able to protect almost all jobs. This is important for our students’ education first and foremost. It is also important for the health of our local economy as BVSD is our area’s second largest employer after the University of Colorado.

I ultimately decided that the risk of changing the offer of a stipend to an offer of a COLA was worthwhile if it could get both sides to a tentative agreement. I am fully aware that this offer, if it had been accepted, would have put additional pressure on the 2010-2011 BVSD budget when we will likely receive fewer dollars per student next year than this year – an occurrence unprecedented in recent memory.

As I have stated before, I support the concept of a new professional pay schedule – especially the element that raises a starting, first year teacher’s annual salary to more than $40,000. We were negotiating along those lines last spring until the legislature took away the ability to budget $3.8 million for this year. I currently see no hope of BVSD being authorized to spend those dollars now held in reserve.

In spite of my respect for our 1,800 teachers, I must face some hard fiscal realities. Colorado government’s ability to fund even the most basic services that we have all come to rely upon is lessening with every quarterly revenue forecast and I see no reason for that to change in the near future.

Local revenue from property tax and specific ownership tax as well as the interest income on our portfolio is down overall with no new local revenue stream identified at this time.

The citizens of our district, including our parents and teachers have indicated in survey after survey that maintaining current class sizes as we work to continually improve achievement ensure equity and raise climate scores is their first priority. This year, we have met that expectation.

However, next year, we will not face the question of whether to cut but rather the question of where and, more to the point, who to cut. We speak in euphemisms when we say, “cut programs.” A school district’s budget is 90% personnel. Therefore, when we say cut programs, we are really saying cut people.

Because I must balance preserving programs with compensation requests and because revenue to BVSD is in decline and because I do not believe we have yet ironed out the details of a new pay schedule, I cannot support or pay for its implementation this year.

 I renew our call for third party advisory fact finding for the fourth time. I remind everyone here tonight and those watching on television that it was fact finding that guided the district and the union to a new agreement in 2004 – the last year that we were at impasse. I believe third party fact finding holds our best hope for success for all sides in this important matter.

  BVSD 9/17/09 Full Proposal

Summary of 2009-2010 BVSD Teacher Proposal offered September 17, 2009

On Thursday, September 17, the BVSD and BVEA negotiating teams met from 4:30 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. for contract negotiations mediated by a professional mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Center of the U.S. Department of Labor. Regretfully, this mediation session was not productive in reaching a tentative agreement. BVSD and BVEA are once again at impasse concerning negotiations for a 2009-2010 agreement. Negotiations information is updated on the BVSD website (www.bvsd.org).

The September 17 offer from BVSD to BVEA contains three key elements. They are 1) increasing compensation, 2) restarting the joint BVSD/BVEA “Relationship by Objective” (RBO) process, and 3) creating a ten-member (five BVSD members/five BVEA members) Salary Reform Task Force to develop a joint salary reform proposal by June 30, 2010.

The key components of each of these three elements of the September 17 BVSD proposal are as follows:

INCREASE COMPENSATION:
(represents a 6.26% total package increase from 2008-2009)

• 1% cost of living adjustment (COLA) added to the schedule for all Unit B employees (teachers, counselors, psychologists, social workers, speech and language therapists, and occupational and physical therapy specialists) in place of the 1% stipend offered in spring 2009, bringing a starting teacher’s (BA, Step 1) annual salary to $33,853 without benefits. It would bring the average BVSD teacher salary to $57,781 without benefits.
• Equivalent of two additional contract days paid at per diem pay (individual teacher’s annual salary divided by 187 days) for participation in professional development (equivalent of 1.07% pay increase for those who participate)
• District continuing to cover full cost of individual employee coverage for health and dental benefits (increase of $743 per covered employee for 2009-2010)
• Increase employer contribution to PERA by 0.9%
• Full funding of steps and horizontal movement for increased longevity and educational credits respectively
• Agreement to reopen negotiations to determine additional compensation for Unit B employees based on the Unit B share of the state’s Fiscal Emergency Restricted Reserve (Unit B share is 55% of $3.8 million less required transfers) contingent upon the decision of the Colorado state legislature whether to release funds by the end of January 2010
• Spring, 2010 negotiations for 2010-2011 contract to begin by January 15, 2010, and end by May 7, 2010, with a total of seven sessions.
• Annual building survey to increase communication between teachers and administrators to be implemented in all schools in December 2009
• New category added to special education caseload review of 1:10 for Multi/Autism programs
• All Unit B employees will receive first contract paycheck on a new schedule of August through July beginning in August 2010; two paychecks will be issued in August 2010 to implement this change
• BVSD will provide on an on-going basis $400 special education teacher stipend and $700 OT/PT stipend
• Annual leave days may accumulate up to 25 days beyond the 12 days (12 days more than current Agreement) with days above 25 days paid in July; upon separation from the district annual leave payout will be a maximum of 37 annual leave days (12 days more than current Agreement)
• All frozen sick leave will be paid to Unit B employees hired as of June 7, 1996, upon separation from the district (includes those employees below the 11 years of experience as of June 6, 1996); frozen sick leave may be used for illness after annual leave is exhausted and for maternity /parental leave (new provision)
• New language to work collaboratively between teachers and the district when a school is identified to have significant achievement challenges including a process and timeline

RESTART RELATIONSHIP BY OBJECTIVE PROCESS:

The BVSD Relationship by Objective (RBO) process is a program that has been adopted by the Boulder Valley Board of Education in collaboration with the BVEA. The goal of the program is to increase positive working relationships and to work together to create positive problem solving capacity throughout the organization. The RBO program requires that there is a recognition that problems exist and a commitment to change from all levels.  A time commitment is required from all involved as well as a willingness to let go of the past and look to the future.

Work began during the 2004-2005 school year with the RBO program and committees were established in a variety of interest and issues areas. Unfortunately, within the past year that process has lapsed. BVSD is committed to its renewal.

For further information concerning RBO, here is a link to the Federal Mediation Conciliation Service website explaining it in greater depth:
http://www.fmcs.gov/internet/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=53&itemID=15893

As part of its recommitment to RBO, BVSD proposes to 1) invite BVEA to return to an ongoing RBO joint process to address mutually identified issues of concern prior to a formal negotiations process and 2) emphasize creating a shared understanding concerning the FY 2010-2011 budget to bring agreed upon clarity to the 2010-2011 contract negotiations

CREATE BVSD/BVEA SALARY REFORM TASK FORCE:

For the 2009-2010 school year, the parties agree to form a salary reform task force consisting of five representatives from the District and five representatives from BVEA that will be charged with developing a plan for salary reform to recognize teachers professionally as well as for their achievements towards building and district goals. An identified source of new revenue to support the plan will also be recommended by the task force. Available grants will be sought to help fund the planning process and entities with experience and knowledge in the area of salary reform may be requested for assistance.

The task force will complete its recommended plan no later than June 30, 2010, unless both parties mutually agree on an extension. The task force would 1) look at the wide range of concepts nationally, including but not limited to the BVEA proposed professional salary schedule and 2) recommend new revenue source(s) to fund the proposed plan.

RENEW CALL FOR THIRD PARTY FACT FINDING:

With the return to impasse September 17, BVSD is renewing its formal request for BVEA to join in calling for third party advisory fact finding given lack of agreement on fiscal matters. 

 Frequently Asked Questions re: BVSD’s Budget for 2009-2010