The Santa Cruz City Schools Board of Trustees approved a special retirement package for 41 teachers. The new package allows for younger teachers to keep their jobs in the local school system. As a result of the decision, 26 teachers who had received layoff notices were immediately rehired and nine adult education teachers received 50 percent of their original hours. The Board can now tackle other pressing issues intended to reduce its $5 million deficit, including a shortened school year, changes to benefits, and class sizes for grades K-3. The school board has until May 15 to finalize its layoffs for the 2010-2011 school year.
In related news, 70 teachers in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District have announced their plans to retire, meaning that an equal number of jobs will be saved. Earlier this year, the district sent preliminary layoff notices to 273 teachers. The board also set priorities for the teachers it plans to rehire, saying that preference would be given to teachers who can teach in a bilingual classroom and to teachers with math and science credentials. Read more at the Santa Cruz Sentinel and Fox 35.
Good News for SCCS Teachers
