IMPORTANT - Layoff Informational Meetings for Impacted SDEA Members
As we use our collective power as union members to fight unnecessary layoffs, there are also important legal rights and processes that are important to understand once notices have been received. If you are an SDEA member impacted by layoffs, please read this information carefully and make every effort to attend one of upcoming layoff informational meetings.
Informational Meetings Regarding Layoffs
There are two layoff informational meetings that will both be held at your SDEA union hall on March 18 and 19 at 4:30pm. At this meeting, impacted educators will receive important information regarding the layoff process, get questions answered, and have an opportunity to sign up for 1-on-1 meetings to support noticed members who may have violations of either their rights under the Ed. Code and/or SDEA Contract.
Space will be limited to only those members who receive layoff notices.
More information and registration to attend one of the meetings will be forthcoming. Stay tuned!
Union Wide Grievance for Impacted Probationary Status Employees
The processes related to layoffs can be confusing especially as permanent and probationary layoffs are handled differently. Individual members and site reps do not need to file any layoff grievances at the site level. SDEA staff will be filing a union wide grievance on behalf of all probationary status employees that receive a layoff notice. Article 19 of the union contract details the process for layoff of probationary unit members.
CTA Retirement Workshops on March 5, 12 and April 4
You’re never too young or old to learn about your CalSTRS benefits, programs, and services! Register now for upcoming CTA online retirement workshops on March 5, 12 and April 4 from 4:30-6:30PM. Space is limited!
There will be materials and discussion of the CalSTRS retirement benefit formula, options, Defined Benefit Supplemental program, survivor benefits, legislative changes, and Social Security Offsets. See this flyer for more information on the CTA online retirement workshops.
CTA Scholarships and Grants
CTA has a variety of grants and scholarships available to members and their dependents. Applications are available online at www.cta.org/scholarships. The CTA Institute for Teaching Grant deadline is March 31, 2024 for either an Educator Grant (up to $5,000) or an Impact Grant (up to $20,000 for teams of educators). The LGBTQ+ Safety in Schools Grant & Scholarship Program deadline is May 31, 2024.Questions? Email scholarships@cta.org
Update on 2023-24 SPED Caseload Overage Grievance
Earlier this school year, SDEA staff filed a unionwide SPED caseload overage grievance. The goal of this grievance is to remedy the overages from the 11th day of school to the point in which an Ed. Specialist’s caseload is at or below their caseload capacity. At this time, there is no need to file separate grievances at school sites on caseload overages.
SDEA staff have continued to meet with the District, not only to reach a 2023-24 grievance settlement, but also to analyze the efficacy of Section 3 in last year’s caseload grievance settlement. This section was added to last year's settlement as a preventative measure, in hopes of avoiding the accompanying workload increases due to caseload overages in the 2023-2024 school year.
While we continue this process, if you are experiencing overages, please document your caseload by saving weekly, timestamped PowerSchool reports and tracking any sort of support you receive from the Compliance Team.
Flood Damage Relief
Historic rainfall, San Diego’s aging drainage system and blockages along waterways led to flooding of our classrooms and neighborhoods on Monday. Were any of your personal electronics, instructional materials, books, supplies, vehicle or classroom furniture damaged due to flooding at your school? If so, per our contract, you can be reimbursed up to $1500 by submitting this completed form to SDUSD Risk Management. Your home or renters insurance can also potentially cover flood damage to personal property that occurred at your school. Was your home damaged or were you displaced from your home? SDEA members are eligible for CTA Disaster Relief grants. Want to contribute to the CTA Disaster Relief Fund? Donate here.
Know Your Rights: Excessing Process
As school sites begin the “Site Based Budgeting (SBB)” process, some sites will need to adjust staffing due to enrollment changes. At some sites, additional staff will be required. At others, staff may be “excessed” (involuntarily transferred) due to enrollment declines, and other limited reasons. The excessing process is not a lay off, just the method in which staff are allocated around the district to address enrollment changes. Staffing is accomplished via the spring “Post and Bid” process, where certificated staff bid on available positions. Find out more about excessing here, since the most recent contract modified some of the rules around how certificated staff are excessed.
Supporting Students with IEPs in the General Education Classroom
Section 29.7 in the contract speaks to supporting students with IEPs in the general education classroom. The contract requires the District to notify the affected unit member(s) prior to assigning students with IEPs into their regular education classroom, and to provide the unit member(s) with a copy of the student’s IEP.
The site administrator should assign students in such a way as to minimize the impact and equalize student load across the grade level or department. Another key right is that whenever the ratio of students with IEPs in a general education classroom exceeds 20% of the overall class size, the site administration will meet with the general education teacher, within ten (10) workdays of the request for such a meeting, to develop a class support plan. This 20% threshold is not a hard cap that prohibits an educator from having more than 20% of their class roster be made up of students with IEPs. The 20% is also 20% of your class’s total enrollment, not 20% of the class size caps found in the contract for your grade level.
Per the contract, the class support plan must be developed and implemented. Some examples of support may include, but not be limited to, smaller class size, redistribution of site Special Education staff, additional prep time, and/or the elimination of non-teaching duties or obligations. The site could also come up with other ideas if they have the resources to do so. If the plan is not developed, or the supports are not adequate, and the site could do more, there may be grounds for a grievance. Speak with your site’s SDEA Association Representative (AR) about any concerns and to develop a plan of action.
Special Enrollment Opportunity for The Standard Disability Insurance!
Health insurance pays your doctor. Disability insurance pays you. Disability benefits are paid directly to you if you’re unable to work due to:
· Injury
· Illness (including mental health disorders and substance abuse)
· Pregnancy and childbirth
Standard Insurance Company (The Standard) is the only CTA-endorsed provider of Disability and Life insurance. These plans were designed with California educators’ needs in mind. CTA has partnered with Standard Insurance Company to bring CTA members a special enrollment opportunity for the CTA-endorsed Disability insurance and Life insurance. Eligible CTA members can get guaranteed enrollment with no health questions asked. This opportunity lasts from October 1 - November 30, 2023.
SDEA members can find more details or apply online at www.standard.com/cta/justforyou. You must be a member of SDEA in order to enroll in The Standard, so make sure to join your union now!
Jury Duty
"I got summoned for jury duty! Now what?" If you're summoned to appear for jury duty on a workday, you can report for duty, or postpone duty to non-workdays.
The union contract has a rule to incentivize you to postpone jury duty from workdays to non-workdays by paying you for postponed service on non-workdays. If you get a summons to appear for jury duty on a workday and postpone it to non-workdays, you have the right in the union contract to still get paid. The rate of pay is 75% of the day-to-day Visiting Teacher rate for each day! Read more.
SDUSD Teacher PREP and Support
Could you benefit from a little extra support? The Peer Review and Enrichment Program (PREP), offers 1:1 confidential targeted support. The Consulting Teachers’ support can include:
- Classroom environment and management
- Engagement strategies
- Standards based- equity driven assessment strategies
- Lesson planning
- Technology, and
- Curriculum support
To request support, click on this link.