Wave of pink-slips comes amid state education reform discussion

Last week, when the Carpentersville-based Community Unit District 300 school board voted to send layoff notices to more than 360 of the district's least experienced teachers, the district took a lot of criticism.

More than 1,200 people crammed into the gym at Westfield Community School in Algonquin, with overflow crowds in adjoining rooms. About 80 people addressed the board that night, and district spokeswoman Allison Strupeck said officials have heard from many others, some asking why a teacher's performance wasn't considered in the layoff decisions.

“Many people questioned whether seniority should be the No. 1 factor,” Strupeck said.

After districts evaluate what subjects they need teachers for, seniority is a main factor in school layoff decisions in Illinois. But now, talks among school officials, reform groups, unions and lawmakers could make a teacher's performance a key factor as administrators decide who to cut.

“Performance should be the main factor,” said Jonah Edelman, chief executive officer of the reform group Stand for Children.

The Illinois Federation of Teachers union says it's open to performance playing a role, along with seniority.

“We also believe experience has a role,” said union President Dan Montgomery.

The idea to change the way schools lay off teachers is part of a larger reform package now being negotiated at regular meetings led by Democratic Sen. Kimberly Lightford of Maywood. The House had reform hearings last year as well.

Other parts of the package, including provisions about teacher strikes and the dismissal of tenured teachers, are especially contentious. But the various parties aren't as far apart on the issue of deciding layoffs.

The layoffs plan is immediately relevant as districts around the suburbs and elsewhere are examining their flagging budgets and cutting teachers as a result.

Last spring, Elgin Area School District U-46's budget troubles were all over the news — as the school board, faced with a $30 million budget hole, voted to pink-slip 1,000 employees, 732 teachers among them.

This year, thanks to those cuts, the budget situation isn't looking as grim. But U-46 is still missing more than $12 million in late payments from the state.

Because state law requires districts to notify staff members who are being let go 60 days before the end of the school year, U-46 still finds itself cutting staff — about 330 of them, though some are likely to be hired back.

That often leaves high-performing young teachers out in the cold.

Superintendent Jose Torres points out that U-46 has been “pushing national board certification” — the highest level of training a teacher can receive — “pretty hard.”

Yet, all the same, this year, two teachers that had achieved that milestone were handed pink slips because they weren't senior enough staff members.

Torres expressed support for several portions of the school reform legislation currently being considered.

“We have teachers that miss school or come in late, things that are easily verifiable. Perhaps we could use some of that as criteria (along with seniority) in deciding which teachers to let go,” Torres said.

The reforms aren't drafted as a bill yet, but a proposal could come up in this spring's legislative session.

No matter what changes officials come up with, the process of laying off teachers is likely to remain an emotional issue for communities.

Last week, Viviana Medrano, 15 and a sophomore at Dundee-Crown, fought through tears to tell the District 300 board how her teachers facing layoffs made a difference in her life.

“They teach us life lessons,” she said. “They taught me that you don't need to have money to go to college. You don't have to be the smartest person. You can still go to college.”