The controversy regarding teacher pay and the distribution of Prop 123 and 301 monies is expected to once again be addressed at Tuesday’s meeting of the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board. Proposed teacher evaluations changes are also expected to raise eyebrows and questions.
Because the District lacks transparency, there appears to be no explanation for increasing the number of points teachers need for each evaluation level. Superintendent H.T. Sanchez, through his public relations department, has claimed that teachers will see a sizeable increase in pay through a combination of the proceeds from Proposition 123, which was just passed by the voters, and Proposition 301.
However, the proposed changes to evaluations would make an increase in pay with the Prop 301 monies nearly unattainable. It will also reduce the total 301 performance money TUSD will pay out. One educator noted that by increasing the required scores for teacher performance evaluations, TUSD is simultaneously reducing teachers’ performance pay and adding more stress to the evaluation process.
Given TUSD’s teacher retention problems and horrific teacher vacancy rate, the evaluation changes may exacerbate the District’s struggles.
Board members and advocates are questioning why the District’s CFO has not provided the budget presentation in advance and documentation of the budget for Prop 123 money. The CFO has also not yet provided the projected expenditure of 301 money for 2016-2017.
Board member Michael Hicks has asked for the information prior to the board meeting to review. Sanchez claims that there is no new information and has not turned over any of it. Because Board members Cam Juarez, Kristel Foster, and Adelita Grijalva normally act as a rubber stamp for Sanchez, detailed and complete information is rarely supplied to the Board prior to a vote.
Because they lack understanding of the budget and remain in the dark it is unclear if Foster is misguided or is not being truthful when she continues to claim that a majority of Prop 123 monies is allocated to teachers.
For 2015-16, TUSD has increased its surplus of 301 money to $18.9 million. That is more 301 money than TUSD gets in a year.
The CFO’s presentation at the June 28 meeting shows that the District is only using 26 percent of the Prop 123 monies on teachers despite the fact that voters were sold on the proposition with the understanding that the money would go to teachers. The presentation only covered the 39 percent for employee raises. There was no information about the expenditure of the remaining 61percent of the Prop 123 money.
Critics say that Sanchez is preoccupied with building a surplus rather than taking care of staff. As evidence they point to the fact that currently it appears that TUSD will have a $18.9 surplus of unspent 301 money at the end of this fiscal year.
Hicks is concerned that too many teachers have been misled by the administration and are operating under the understanding that the majority of Prop 123 monies are going to the classroom. “We promised them one thing;” said Hicks, “and the administration and Board majority have not delivered.”