By Len Feldman
Outraged that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has broken his promise to repay funds borrowed from schools last year and is tampering with Proposition 98's minimum funding guarantees, CTA is trying to head off several of his so-called reform proposals as they move through the Legislature.
CTA is opposing four of the ideas the governor outlined in his State of the State speech in January. All but one are packaged in three special session bills and one regular session measure. In addition to gutting Proposition 98's minimum funding guarantees for schools, the proposals would eliminate teachers' due-process protections, extend probationary periods from two years to 10, and privatize the pension systems for teachers and public employees. Another proposal, which has not yet been put forth as legislation, would silence the political voice of teachers and other public employees.
All three of the proposals already under consideration in the special session are constitutional amendments, which could go to the voters as early as November if the governor calls a special election. CTA is urging members to write their legislators and describe the impact the proposals would have in their schools. In addition, CTA is advising members to just say no when asked to sign petitions to place similarly worded voter initiatives on the ballot. The governor is hedging his bets in case the measures do not survive the Legislature.
Bills under consideration in the special session of the Legislature, called by the governor specifically to address his "reform" proposals, take effect as soon as they're enacted instead of Jan. 1 of the following year. [Bill numbers contain an X for "extraordinary session" followed by a session number (in this case, 1).]
ACAX1 4 contains the governor's lead proposal, which would eliminate Prop. 98 spending protections for schools put into the state constitution by voters in 1988 at the behest of CTA.
The bill, which was introduced by Assembly Member Rick Keene (R-Chico), would stipulate that funds owed but not paid to schools in prior years would be considered a one-time obligation to be paid back over a period of up to 15 years. Because the repayments would not be added to the Prop. 98 base, the effect would be to permanently cut $15,000 from every classroom in California — about $600 per student.
The bill would also fix the Prop. 98 guarantee at the 2004-05 appropriations level, effectively eliminating its role as a minimum funding protector for schools.
In addition to Prop. 98-related reductions, the bill would subject schools to as many as two rounds of midyear cuts. Across-the-board cuts in education and other state programs would be triggered if the Legislature and governor fail to enact a balanced spending plan on time.
SCAX1 1, introduced by Senator George Runner (R-Antelope Valley), would create a merit pay system for teachers that ties pay to student scores on statewide standardized tests. It would also eliminate due-process protections for teachers and other school employees and bar employers from considering seniority in employment decisions. The bill would also require a 10-year probationary period for teachers. (The clock would start over if the employee changes districts.)
Any permanent teacher who receives two consecutive unsatisfactory evaluations can be fired without being allowed to challenge the evaluations.
ACAX1 1 and a regular session bill, ACA 5, contain the governor's proposals for pension system reform. Introduced by Assembly Member Keith Richman (R-Northridge), the bills would undermine public employee retirements by converting the State Teachers' Retirement System (STRS) and the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) from plans with secure lifetime benefits into risky 401(k)-style plans that come with no guarantees. Pensions would move from a sure thing to a gamble.
The change would affect all new hires after July 1, 2007. By routing new workers' contributions into individual plans, the bills would also undermine the security of existing pension systems for all employees.
