MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL
VOL. 57, NO. 7
March 25, 2022
41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539 41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539
FUSD Funding Updates By Rohan Bhagat, Shelley Li & Angela Xiong Staff Writers Since the fall of 2021, FUSD has been engaged in a series of discussions with the Fremont Unified District Teachers Association (FUDTA) about changes in salaries, COVID-19 funds toward schools, and the overall usage of FUSD funds. The Smoke Signal interviewed the FUDTA, MSJ teachers, and FUSD staff to gain insight into FUSD’s budgeting and funding plans for the 2021-24 school years.
Teacher Salary Negotiations In September 2021, FUDTA and FUSD began contract negotiations on topics such as teacher salaries. They discussed the percentages of the Cost-Of-Living Adjustment (COLA), an ongoing increased revenue determined by CA based on inflation, and one-time payments that would be provided for teachers for the next three years. At the February 25 negotiation, FUDTA claimed that the latest FUSD proposal offered less money than the previous one with a decrease in one-time payment from 2% to 1% for the 2023-24 year. The most recent proposal from FUSD offered an overall 14.44% wage increase for the next three years, while FUDTA asked for an 18.56% wage increase. After the February 25 negotiation, FUDTA independently declared an impasse, which halted all negotiations until March 9, when FUSD announced that the CA Public Employment Relations Board had ruled that the “appointment of a mediator is not appropriate at this time.” FUDTA and FUSD will return to the negotiation table soon, although a concrete date has yet to be finalized.
In this year’s negotiations, FUDTA members hoped to obtain a higher raise to compensate for difficulties transitioning back to in-person learning. In addition, teachers hadn’t received a sufficient raise in a long time. According to FUDTA President Brannin Dorsey, the teachers only got a 0.56% raise last year during the pandemic. “[The lack of raises] indicates a trend of FUSD for their unwillingness to listen to its teachers and employees,” FUDTA Representative and English Teacher Chelbert Dai said. However, according to FUSD Superintendent CJ Cammack, increased utility and operational costs have impacted the district’s budget, preventing them from increasing wages for FUSD employees. “We also have to utilize those dollars to pay for increasing costs in Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), in gas, in goods and services,” Cammack said. Both FUSD and FUDTA state that at the moment, there is no risk of a strike or work-to-rule protests as both sides seek a quick resolution.
declining enrollment Beginning in 2018-19, enrollment in FUSD has been on the decline, mainly due to the increased cost of living in the Bay Area. According to FUSD’s 2021-22 Second Interim Budget Report, the projected enrollment in the next year will drop from 1,971 students to 1,832 students at MSJ, and 33,471 students to 33,174 students in FUSD. Although this year, the decreased student enrollment didn’t impact the number of sections offered in FUSD schools, in 2022-23, FUSD will reevaluate the sections (class periods of approximately 30 students) per school based on enrollment. Currently, for MSJ, 40 sections will be cut next year. With fewer sections, less courses will be offered, meaning zero and seventh period classes will likely be removed. Of all the existing zero and seventh period classes, only the Marching Band class is guaranteed to be preserved for the next school year. “You can’t have kids taking seven periods a day because that’s more classes that you have to offer and [that we don’t have], so you have to shrink back on those things and put them in the day,” Principal Jeff Evans said.
Most Recent FUDTA-FUSD Negotiation
Total Federal COVID-19 FUNDs FUSD RecEIved Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA)
30 Million total federal COVID-19 relief funding (value does not include do not include any state emergency funding) Data Credit NBC Bay Area
Projected Enrollment Decrease for the 2022-2023 School Year MSJ
FUSD
1,971 Students 33,471 Students 1,832 Students 33,174 Students
ONLINE
THIS MONTH
www.thesmokesignal.org
2021-2022: COLA + 1% for appendices A-C and E + $2500 one-time lump sum 2022-2023: COLA + 1% lump sum IF FUSD reserves in unaudited actuals exceeds 10% 2023-2024: COLA
42238.05(a)(1), which provides funding based on the greater of either the current year’s ADA or the prior year’s ADA, and a recent model proposed by CA Gov. Gavin Newsom that computes average ADA based on the prior three years’ ADA. Both solutions seek to provide school districts with more funding in the face of declining attendance. Although uncertain about the state’s decision, FUSD and FUDTA agree on the need for a different funding system. “There are legitimate reasons why kids don’t show up — COVID-19, mental health, so many different reasons,” Dorsey said. “[The] kid shouldn’t be penalized, [and] FUSD should not be penalized [as a result].”
FUSD offer 2021-2022: 3% ongoing salary increase + additional one-time payment equal to 3% of annual salary 2022-2023: COLA - 1.75% + onetime payment equal to 2% of annual salary 2023-2024: COLA - 1.75% + if FUSD reserves in estimated actuals exceeds 10%, receive additional one-time payment equal to 1% of annual salary
COVID-19 Funds According to NBC Bay Area, FUSD received more than $30,500,000 in federal relief payments during the pandemic. This aid came from several different sources, including funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). One of FUSD’s largest expenses was the creation and expansion of the virtual academy programs, fully-accredited online schools that give students alternatives to in-person learning during the pandemic. Currently, two academies exist: Elementary Virtual Academy for grades K-6 and Vista Alternative School for grades 7-12. According to Cammack, FUSD hired an additional 50 teachers to run these virtual academies. With the transition back to in-person school, the extra money also went toward sanitizing supplies and counseling services for students. According to FUSD Board of Education President Dianne Jones, many elementary schools that only had half-time counselors before were able to obtain full-time counselors and more intervention teachers to work one-on-one with individual students to assist with learning loss. Furthermore, FUSD invested additional funds into mental health programs, such as social emotional learning (SEL) curriculums and staff training for Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) practices. According to Cammack, FUSD also provided additional sections to each secondary school, allowing for smaller class sizes and more personalized teaching to facilitate the transition back to in-person instruction.
Impact:
Attendance As part of the calculation of the amount of state funding a school district receives per student, Average Daily Attendance (ADA) is determined by dividing the total days of student attendance in school with the total number of days of instruction. The rate of attendance across FUSD is projected to decline in the upcoming years due to the lingering effects of the pandemic that have kept students at home. Compared to previous years, the ADA percentage is down about 1.5%, according to Cammack, causing a significant decline in state funding. CA’s two solutions to the issue include the proposal outlined in Education Code Section
FUDTA offer
Student & Staff
A lack of adequate budgeting negatively impacts teachers, courses, classroom environment and safety, and ultimately, students. Adapting to virtual learning and then transitioning back to in-person instruction has left both students and teachers feeling stressed and exhausted. “The contract between the teachers and FUSD affects everyone — not just the teachers, it’s [also] all the support that the teachers are getting from counselors and outside resources inside and outside the classroom,” FUDTA Representative and US History Teacher Tony Bellotti said. “That affects individual learning, class sizes, and the quality that teachers can bring to the classroom.” According to Dorsey, there is a large ratio of more than 30 students to 1 teacher in a classroom. This impacts teachers and their ability to effectively perform their job, eventually hurting students’ learning experience. In addition, budget restrictions and decreased enrollment have limited course selections, preventing students from exploring their many interests.
SPRING FLING VIDEO COVERAGE
FOG HOLI RECAP
Wishing you could go back to the night beneath the lights? Catch up with the Smoke Signal ’s Spring Fling video!
Did the gloomy weather rain on your plans for Holi, the Indian festival of colors? Check out the FOG Holi at MSJ Recap Video on the Smoke Signal ’s YouTube account!
FOR MORE COVERAGE, VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG