The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s Board of Education will meet for the second time this month, and this Thursday’s meeting will likely be a little longer than last as the agenda outlines items related to potential layoffs, interdistrict attendance permits and bargaining agreements.
Thursday’s meeting will kick off with a Career Technical Education Month Celebration, according to the online agenda. The board is then expected to approve a consent calendar that includes a number of construction items as well as the approval of various comprehensive school safety plans for the 2019-20 school year.
Interdistrict Permits
Forty minutes have been set aside for a discussion regarding the district’s interdistrict transfer policies, which soon may be changed with board approval.
“The board first discussed this policy on 12/12/19,” the agenda states. “During that discussion, the board asked for a variety of the data and information regarding potential impacts of placing a freeze on all interdistrict permit categories.”
This meeting, the board will consider placing a freeze on all permit categories except those that relate to: siblings of current interdistrict permit holders, children of employees of the cities of Malibu or Santa Monica, or children of full-time, permanent employees of Santa Monica College, according to the proposed policy.
Bargaining Agreements
After the details of the board policy and administrative regulation have been worked out, the Board of Education is expected to approve the appointment of a new Personnel Commissioner as well as a couple of bargaining agreements.
The district has agreed to three separate collective bargaining agreements with the Santa Monica-Malibu Classroom Teacher’s Association, Service Employees International Union - Local 99 (SEIU) and non-represented employees, respectively, according to the agenda. District staff and union representatives have expressed how thankful they are to have finalized a deal during previous board of education meetings.
Reduction of Services
Following the approval of the three collective agreements, it has been recommended that the Board of Education approve Resolution No. 19-22 for the reduction or discontinuance of particular kinds of services, the agenda states.
A resolution is required anytime the district seeks to cut services or recommend layoffs, which have been expected to happen given the district’s fiscal situation.
Teachers have asked during previous board meetings that district leaders consider keeping cuts away from the classroom. However, according to the resolution, the district will soon reduce a number of elementary, middle and secondary school services.
The cuts are expected to have a full-time equivalency of nearly 45 certificated positions, and education code requires that notices regarding layoffs of certificated personnel be forwarded no later than March 15.
Local residents will have an opportunity to address the board shortly after the adoption of the resolutions during the public comment period, which is set to occur near the end of Thursday’s meeting.
More information on the upcoming meeting can be found online at smmusd.org/domain/2977.
brennon@smdp.com
