2 Mar 2005
Reduction In Force Could Mean Cuts Of Up To 400 District Positions
DALLAS—On Thursday, Dallas Independent School District Trustees are slated to hear the proposed details of two plans that would help the district save $24.9 million over the next two years and reduce a $28 million budget deficit by offering early retirement incentives to more than 800 employees, and a reduction in force plan that could eliminate additional positions.
"We are presenting trustees with two viable options that we believe can work together to resolve much of the budget deficit," Interim Superintendent Larry Groppel said Wednesday. "We are doing everything we can to ensure that dollars and support to the classroom are not directly affected. The early retirement incentive will certainly be attractive to some; the reduction in force will be a difficult but carefully managed process."
Early Retirement Incentive Details
To qualify for the proposed early retirement incentive, a district employee must be an actively contributing member of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and actively at work or be on an approved leave of absence as of March 31, 2005. The employee also must be eligible for retirement with TRS, be eligible for contract renewal and be in good standing with the applicable performance rating system of DISD.
As it is being proposed to trustees, district employees who elect to use this option would receive a lump sum payment of up to 30 percent of their current salary in an amount not less than $10,000 and no more than $35,000.
The deadline for an employee to submit retirement paperwork would be March 25, 2005. They also would have a deadline of April 1 to rescind their decision. The lump sum payments to employees who elect to use this option would be made on Sept. 23, 2005 or on Jan. 23, 2006.
"This plan would give the district the ability to reduce staff without laying off certain individuals, and it would reduce future year payroll costs by not re-filling positions vacated due to retirement or reduction in force or by filling positions at a lower cost to the district," Groppel said.
Groppel said that under the proposal, no one who elected to follow the early retirement plan would be rehired by the district in any capacity, nor would they be eligible to hold a contract or third-party contract with the district for at least two years.
The superintendent said the cost of the early retirement incentives would be about $4.7 million, assuming a June 2005 retirement date and about 275 employees taking part. He said under the plan the district would provide net savings of $9.6 million in 2006 and up to $15.3 million in 2007.
Reduction In Force Details
There are four stages associated with the district's RIF process—identification, reassignment, dismissal and recall. District policy prioritizes three situations—to maintain continuity of instruction, programs or productivity in schools and departments; to provide job security to those who have the greatest number of years of continuous service in the district; and consideration of employee preparation, experience, special skills and contributions, as well as needs of the school and community.
District policy requires that the trustees authorize a RIF and designate which employee groups would be affected by their move.
"We have a financial situation that requires an effort to reduce the number of district employees. We have done a great deal of cutting already. Now is when it gets difficult," Groppel said. "Because of a reduction in enrollment, loss of state and federal dollars and reductions and loss of grant funds, we feel that we are left with few options. Through this process we certainly will see a reallocation of positions within the district, but we will do everything we can to ensure that the effect on district classrooms is minimal."
Groups That Would Be Eligible For RIF
Groppel said the groups that would be eligible for the RIF include: central staff, technical staff, related instruction personnel—instructional specialists, office support who are non-campus based, support supervisors who are exempt employees, police and security who are non-campus based, maintenance and operations staff, service center employees, campus-based staff, namely assistant principals, deans, community liaisons, teacher assistants, except those who are bilingual/ESL.
Process For RIF In DISD
Central staff positions and a limited number of other positions will be considered in the RIF process. First, each division will be charged with reviewing non-campus vacancies and, based on district priorities and board-approved categories, will determine by department which vacant positions could be eliminated.
A review would then be conducted to identify the remaining positions to determine which occupied positions could be eliminated by departments taking into consideration district priorities and board-approved categories.
Groppel said the retirement incentive program that is also before trustees would be initiated at the same time so that vacant positions created by early retirements will reduce the need to discharge employees
through a RIF.
After collecting each department's RIF list, Human Resources will identify staff in similar positions as those whose positions have been eliminated and those who have fewer years of continuous service with the district.
Those with more years of service would replace those with fewer, subject to approved criteria such as preparation and special skills.
Groppel said staff identified would be notified that they have been reassigned within their department or reassigned to another function within the district. Employees with teaching certificates could then be assigned to campus positions if a vacancy at a school is aligned with their certification field. The superintendent said no principals would be displaced by the RIF.
He also said that employees who are reassigned would not have their salaries decreased until after the end of their current contract.
Central Staff Dismissal And Recall Process
Groppel said employees who are recommended for the RIF process will be given a notice for non-renewal or termination, advised of their right to appeal the decision, and placed in a "recall pool," where they can be rehired if situations in the district improve.
He said support staff can appeal to the RIF Review Committee if they believe their situation is arbitrary, capricious or a violation of procedure or policy.
An employee with a contract, who is not replaced in one year, will be eligible for recall if the same position becomes available.
Groppel said that outplacement assistance will be made available to staff who are affected by the RIF.
"If we are not able to find a suitable position for a staff member who is then compelled to leave the district, we will do everything we can to help them locate a job outside of DISD," Groppel said.
"We won't just turn people out onto the street without trying to open a few doors for them in support of any necessary transitions."
Previous Efforts To Cut Costs In DISD
Groppel noted that several options already have been exercised by the district to avoid the RIF and early retirement options. The district has had a hiring freeze in place for new employees since January 2005, and select vacancies can only be filled with current employees. Some central staff vacancies are being filled by making reassignments within departments or across departments instead of the outside application process.
He also said that central staff positions that are left vacant through ongoing resignations or retirements would be eliminated or those earmarked for RIF can be assigned to the positions. An additional 120 teaching positions and campus administrator positions also would be eliminated due to decreased enrollment.
RIF Process Timeline
Dates will be confirmed after trustees discuss the plan on Thursday.