Providence (R.I.) schools rehire 1,445 teachers

From The Providence Journal: The Providence R.I. School Board, which gained attention earlier this year when it voted to terminate all the teachers in the district, has voted to immediately rehire 1,445 teachers--three-fourths of the school district’s staff. A total of 199 teachers will not be rehired, however, including some who are being terminated for disciplinary or performance reasons, those with temporary emergency certifications and teachers whose certifications are obsolete because of subject reorganizations. The School Department sent out letters of termination to every one of the district’s 1,926 teachers in February when the city learned of a $110-million deficit projected for next year. The mayor chose termination notices over layoffs because terminations would allow the district to reduce a category of substitute teachers whose salary and benefit packages cost more than traditional substitutes.

FEBRUARY 2011...from The Providence Journal: The Providence (R.I.) School Board has voted 4 to 3 to send out termination notices to each of the city’s 1,926 public school teachers. More than 700 teachers jammed a high school gymnasium to tell school officials that their hearts were broken, their trust violated and their futures as teachers jeopardized. Teachers begged the board to issue layoffs rather than fire them outright because, under the layoff provisions, teachers are recalled based on seniority. Earlier...from The Providence Journal: The Providence (R.I.) school district plans to send out dismissal notices to every one of its 1,926 teachers, an unprecedented move that has union leaders up in arms. Supt. Tom Brady says the district is projecting a near $40 million deficit for the district and issuing a dismissal letter to all teachers was necessary to give the mayor and the district maximum flexibility. The reaction of Providence Teachers Union President Steve Smith: “This is beyond insane. Let’s create the most chaos and the highest level of anxiety.”