ARTICLE IX: WORKDAY, WORKLOAD, ASSIGNMENT AND SCHEDULING
OF EMPLOYEES
SECTION A: Length
of School Workday
1.
The standard
working day in the building or on site for classroom teachers and non-teaching
certificated non-supervisory employees shall begin thirty (30) minutes before
the beginning of the student day and shall not be more than seven (7) hours
total for secondary schools and six and one-half (6.5) hours total for
elementary schools, exclusive of the one-half hour (30 minute) duty-free lunch
period, and shall include Preparation-Conference-Planning time. The
Preparation-Conference-Planning time shall not be scheduled during the thirty (30)
minutes preceding the student day or the thirty (30) minutes following the
student day. These standard working day schedules would not necessarily hold
for schools where staff and administrators have developed and arranged special
variations in curriculum, instructional methods and staff organization.
2.
Employees will
be expected, in addition to performing duties during the regularly scheduled
on-site hours, to participate in activities and to perform duties related to
the functioning of the total school, such as faculty meetings, organizational
meetings, the guidance and counseling of students, parent contacts and
meetings, and those duties associated with school activities not covered by
currently stipended positions.
a.
These duties may
be performed at irregularly scheduled times and shall be divided equally among
all employees in a building.
b.
Participation in
faculty, instructional council, departmental, team/grade level, safety, and
technology meetings, will not exceed one hour outside the defined workday
unless mutually agreed upon by the participants. Building scheduled faculty
meetings (emergencies excepted) shall not exceed one per week.
c.
Employees with
compensated special or supplemental assignments shall increase their workday on
or off the site to fulfill their supplemental responsibilities.
3.
Employees who
report to a staff organization and/or are assigned to and maintain an office in
the
4.
Certificated
personnel who are assigned to a school building on a part-time basis, temporary
and/or substitute certificated non-supervisory employees are expected to
conform to the normal workday as defined above in the assignment to which they
are placed.
5.
Exceptions to
Items 1, 2, 3 and 4 above may be granted for SEA activity or, at the discretion
of the building principal/program manager, for attendance at professional
activities or for urgent personal business.
Other employees who do not work in the school setting may arrange with
the immediate supervisor to attend to similar activities.
6.
Visitations by
employees to the homes of their students shall be at the option of the
employee, with the approval of the building principal/program manager.
1.
Elementary
teachers will be assigned by the building principal/program manager to
combination or split grades as required by the actual student enrollment in a
specific school. An employee will be
assigned to a combination or split-grade class by the building principal/program
manager only after discussion with the employee regarding the necessity of the
assignment.
2.
In the process
of organizing elementary school classrooms at the beginning of the school year,
the basic class size in combination or split-grade assignments shall be at
least one (1) less than the average class size limits of those combined grade
levels for a particular school. This does not apply to staff who make the
choice to split with a co-teacher or multi-age classrooms (where the building
has adopted that mode of instruction in whole or part).
3.
Combination or
split-grade assignments as differentiated from multi-age organization shall not
be given to beginning teachers (first year in teaching).
4.
The SPS will
consider as a reasonable maximum, secondary teacher assignments of no more than
three (3) different curriculum course preparations in no more than two (2)
subject fields. To the extent possible
departments will balance the number of preparations between employees and avoid
piling on large numbers of preps and subject matters on teachers new to the
profession.
5.
Variations to
the above conditions shall be made by the building principal/ program manager
after discussion and mutual agreement between a teacher, an affected grade
level, a department, the certificated teaching staff (faculty) or the BLT/Instructional
Council. The written record of the
arrangement shall be retained on file in the school office and shall be binding
on all affected parties for one semester/year as appropriate.
6.
Employees who
are assigned to two (2) buildings shall be scheduled in such a manner as to
provide a thirty (30) minute duty-free lunch period plus necessary travel time
between buildings. Mileage allowance
shall be provided for travel between the two work locations pursuant to Article
VII,D of this Contract. The employee
shall keep a mileage report. The
affected principals will agree to means for reimbursement.
7.
When the need is
mutually agreed upon between the building principal/program manager and the
employee, employees who are transferred from one work location to another
during the school year shall be provided with one (1) work day to vacate and
relocate before the assignment is to begin, except when the transfer occurs at
semester times.
8.
The SEA will be
given advance notice of any new programs, initiatives, or significant changes
to existing programs, prior to implementation in the SPS. The SEA will have the opportunity to discuss
with the District all concerns regarding increased employee workload that may
be created by implementation of programs or proposals. The Committee will be part of the
labor/management meetings and both parties may bring representatives (e.g.
teachers, principals, instructional assistants, office personnel, etc.) to
discuss matters. The discussions will be
done in collaboration with the professional development steering committee when
professional development is involved. Sufficient notice must be given so that
any disagreements can be resolved.
SECTION
C: Preparation-Conference-Planning Time
1.
All teachers
shall plan with the building administration in their schools to organize their
work day to include Preparation-Conference-Planning (PCP) time. Elementary teachers shall have a minimum of
150 minutes per week of PCP time within the employee workday. All secondary teachers shall plan with the
building administration to have PCP time to the equivalent of one (1) full
class period per day. The PCP time shall
not be scheduled during the thirty (30) minutes preceding the student day or
the thirty (30) minutes following the student day. The faculty representative organization shall
be responsible for working with building administration to develop plans for
PCP time when the faculty delegates this responsibility.
2.
The primary
purpose of PCP time periods in elementary, middle and secondary schools is for
the individual teacher to prepare, plan and conference; however, PCP time shall
also be used for period conferences, departmental meetings and other
cooperative group planning.
3.
Teachers on a
part-time contract shall be entitled to prorated PCP time in a ratio equal to
the percentage of time they work.
4.
PCP time for
teachers scheduled to teach two (2) half-day kindergartens is to be at least
150 minutes per week excluding a 30-minute duty-free lunch and the 30 minutes
before and after school as required by law.
5.
Preparation-Conference-Planning
(PCP) teachers may be assigned on an itinerant basis, although the District
recognizes that best practice has teachers assigned to one site.
SECTION D: Class-Size & STAFFING RATIOS
1.
SPS Averages and
Building ranges: The SPS recognizes that a reasonable school class-size ratio
is desirable. However, any application
of a rigid numerical limitation on class size within schools restricts the
staff and the building principal/program manager in their flexibility in seeking
an ideal learning environment. The SPS
and SEA believe that class-size ratio must reflect individual school needs and
unique problems. Staff and building administrators are encouraged to develop
cooperatively and to explore continually special variations in curriculum,
instructional methods and staff organization to endeavor to achieve an optimum
for instruction in their school.
2.
However, the SPS
will maintain the following SPS-wide averages and building ranges:
a.
Maintain an
average SPS ratio of students to full-time equivalent teachers at no more than
26:1 for grades K-3, 28:1 for grades 4-5, and 150:1 for grades 6-12 (when grade
6 is conducted using a secondary model), exclusive of Special Education and
Bilingual.
b.
c.
A joint SEA and
SPS Elementary Class Size Limits Committee will review class size limits and
overloads with the goal of making recommendations to SEA and SPS leadership by
January 4, 2010.
3.
Elementary/Secondary
Regular Programs:
Elementary
and Secondary Class Size Ratios: In implementing the objectives of quality
instruction and in order to properly deal with the challenges of discipline,
counseling and instruction, the SPS shall maintain a class-size ratio of
students to full-time equivalent classroom teachers at no more than the
following:
a.
Secondary Class
Size: Take actions to limit class size to thirty-two (32) students for core classes
in grades 6-12 (28 for grade 6 when the site uses an elementary model for grade
6). These limits would not necessarily
hold when staff have, through their decision-making process, adopted a whole
school model that results in a variation in curriculum, instructional methods
and staff organization. An example would be the adoption of a block schedule.
The appropriate executive level administrator will be notified by the building
principal/program manager of assignments which exceed the guidelines to address
the overload. The preferred solution is to reduce class size to the negotiated
levels. Failing that option, other assistance may be identified in consultation
with and agreement between the appropriate executive level administrator,
principal and the impacted teacher, the SEA representative may be involved in
this discussion. The individual teacher will be compensated for any days after
October 1 during which he/she has an overload.
b.
Secondary Daily
Limits: Maintain a staffing guideline of 150 students per teacher per day (when
using a block or modified schedule, the total students served by a teacher each
week would be 150), with the exception of special classes and programs where
the individual class size has been exceeded in grades 6-12. The appropriate executive level administrator
will be notified by the building principal/program manager of assignments which
exceed the guidelines. The preferred
solution is to reduce class size to the negotiated levels. Failing that option,
other assistance may be identified in consultation with and agreement between
the appropriate executive level administrator, principal and the impacted
teacher. The SEA representative may be involved in this discussion. The
individual teacher will be compensated for any days after October 1 during
which he/she has an overload.
c.
Class size for
non-core classes will be limited by space, safety, equipment needs, ability to
supervise, and effective instruction. If non-core classes have been
incorporated into an integrated/cluster curriculum, then class-size limits
could apply. The principal will consult with staff in departments offering
non-core classes concerning these issues. If requested by the teacher, the SEA
representative may be involved in this discussion.
d.
Elementary Class
Size Individual Classrooms: Take actions to limit individual regular academic
class size for grades K-3 to twenty-six (26) and for grades 4-5 (and grade 6
when operated in an elementary model) to twenty-eight (28). These limits would
not necessarily hold when staff have, through their decision-making process,
adopted a whole school model that results in a variation in curriculum,
instructional methods and staff organization. In situations in which the limit
is exceeded in a regular class in grades K-3 by two (2) students or in grades
4-5 by four (4) students, following the October 1st enrollment count,
the SPS will address the overload. The preferred solution is to reduce class size
to the negotiated levels; failing that option other assistance may be
identified in consultation with and agreement between the appropriate executive
level administrator, principal and the impacted teacher. The SEA representative
may be involved in this discussion. The individual teacher will be compensated
for any days after October 1 during which he/she has an overload.
e.
Maintain
staffing in special programs for students with disabilities at levels to
provide exceptional children an opportunity to achieve to the best of their
ability. Staffing guidelines for various
programs will be in conformity with the students' educational needs, State
standards and State funding.
f.
When possible, IEP
identified students will be assigned in a way that results in an equitable
apportionment, with special consideration for the nature and extent of the
disability, among the classroom teachers at each school.
g.
As soon as
relevant information about an IEP student is received by the SPS’s Special
Education office and the school, it will be shared with the teachers to whom
that student is assigned.
SECTION
E: Elementary Specialists
1.
The SPS
recognizes that specialists, such as those for music and physical education,
provide instruction at the elementary level which is beneficial to the
instructional program.
2.
In order to
provide increased specialization in physical education, music, or other subject
matter areas at the elementary level, while at the same time providing for
quality program and schedule flexibility, Elementary Specialists will be
assigned no more than (40) sections per week to provide for the 150 minutes per
week allocated to classroom teachers as Preparation-Conference-Planning
(PCP). If a school provides more
planning time for classroom teachers, the cost of doing so is the
responsibility of the building.
3.
To promote
equity between classroom teachers and Elementary Specialists, class size for
Elementary Specialists shall be subject to the same limits as for all other
classroom teachers as specified in Article IX, Section D,3,d of the Collective
Bargaining Agreement.
4.
When creating
building schedules, schools must give consideration to the daily schedule of
the Elementary Specialist including Preparation-Conference-Planning time and
recess, if applicable. The specialists
will be involved in the scheduling of classes and their PCP.
SECTION F: Special Education Staffing Ratios, Relief,
and workload issues
1.
The parties
recognize the complexity and dynamic nature of Special Education staffing due
to the ever-changing composition of the student population served, the extensive
legal regulation of program requirements, the incidence of mid-year referrals,
the clustering of students, and the limitations of facilities, resources and
funding.
2.
In a good faith
effort to quantify and stabilize Special Education staffing, the SPS agrees to
the staffing arrangements set forth below. At the same time, the SEA
acknowledges that the SPS's Special Education programs do not lend themselves
to immutable staffing formulas or inflexible staffing requirements.
3.
The following
continuum of service levels will be utilized by the SPS to reflect the number
of students served per classroom teacher.
It is recognized that staffing by school may actually be lower subject
to local building options, severity of handicapping conditions, combination of conditions
and/or of levels, and individual student service requirements. Both parties recognize that variations among
different programs will exist where staff and administrators have developed and
arranged special variations in curriculum instructional methods and staff organizations. Also, both parties recognize exceptions such
as the presence of low incidence/high need students who may require the
adjustment of staffing upward and that the presence of high incidence/low need
students may allow for staffing adjustments downward. The following staffing guidelines will be
used in schools as a means for staffing teachers in Special Education:
a. Resource
room support for students spending the majority of the instructional day
outside Special Education and requiring support in curriculum content, methods,
pacing and/or strategies. Staffing:
Elementary/Secondary 22:1.
b. Self-Contained
support for students spending the majority of the instructional day in a
Special Education classroom in one building and requiring moderate to
significant modifications to curriculum content, pacing, methods and
instructional strategies. Staffing: Preschool 12:1; Primary 13:1; Intermediate
14:1; Middle School 15:1; and High School 20:1.
c. Self-Contained
Specialty class for students with severe challenges/needs requiring full-day
instruction in Special Education and very significant modification to
curriculum content, methods, pacing, instructional strategies and/or requiring
special adaptive devices. Staffing: Elementary/Secondary:
9:1:1; Elementary and Middle School EBD classrooms are staffed at 10:1:2.
d. Self-Contained
Specialty class for students with exceptional complex disabilities requiring an
intense level of service to modify curriculum, meet medical behavioral and
physical needs. Students may require
specific adaptive technology, medical interventions and/or supplemental adult
supervision. Staffing: Elementary/Secondary
8:1:2
4.
There shall be a
Task Force comprised of 4 representatives of SEA and 4 representatives of SPS.
The task force will meet to determine how to address the range of needs and
impacts of 4b classrooms to insure safety and effective learning environments.
The task force will have access to up to $250,000, to use to address its
recommendations. The task force may consider different configurations or
structures to meet the student and staff needs while living within the staffing
guideline and SPS budget. Any unassigned funds will be placed in the DSU fund.
Individual classrooms will continue to have access to DSU funds on the same
basis as any other special education classroom or specialist. The task force
will reconvene in March each year to
review the effectiveness of the recommendations and suggest modifications as
appropriate.
5.
Where staffing
situations at the building level are deemed by staff members to constitute an
unjustified variation from the staffing guidelines, the staff concern and
possible remedy shall be reviewed by the appropriate executive level
administrator and the building staff.
6.
The Direct
Service Unit (DSU) Committee shall have two (2) functions:
a.
Function
outlined in Article IX, Section F,9 and,
b.
To review and
make recommendations concerning disputes arising from the operation of this
program. The recommendations are not to
affect or in any way obligate the use of monies in the Special Education Relief
Fund. This process shall be the
exclusive dispute resolution mechanism.
7. It is
recognized that some students in Special Education may present severely aggressive,
disruptive and/or acting out behaviors.
In situations where the students pose a significant
problem for classroom management and documentation is available as to
the specific behaviors of concern--their intensity, their frequency, and interventions
attempted--options for support shall be made available either by a school or SPS-based
student support team upon written request by the classroom teacher. Options for relief to be considered, based on
available resources and funding, include, but are not limited to:
a.
Instructional
support in the form of behavioral and intervention strategies;
b.
Support for
parent/family as appropriate;
c.
Support from a
SPS appointed Severe Behavior Disorder (SBD) Specialist;
d.
Increased
individualization of program/alternate placement;
e.
Short-term
Instructional Assistant assigned to that particular situation.
Any
changes in services or program remain subject to IEP process requirements. It is recognized that the intent of this
provision is to provide support to the classroom and not as a means for
evaluating teachers.
8. Excess Cost Protection
a.
The parties
agree that the above guidelines are not intended to, nor shall they operate to,
increase the SPS's costs above the costs which would otherwise be incurred by
the SPS. In the event of such excess costs, the guidelines will be deemed
inoperative, and the SPS shall so notify the SEA. The SEA may, by written notice to the SPS,
demand that the SPS meet to negotiate new Agreement provisions. The SPS agrees to commence negotiations
within ten (10) days of the receipt of the demand.
b.
When special
education teachers are asked to write IEP’s for substitutes and those IEP’s
place the special education teacher over the WSF caseload limit, the special
education teacher will be eligible for additional compensation within the
substitute’s IEP allocation.
9. Special
Education Relief Fund:
a.
A Joint
Committee for Special Education Direct Service Units (DSU’s):
b.
A joint
committee shall be convened each school year to review staff requests and make
recommendations for expenditure of funds appropriated for the purpose of
Article IX, Section F,6.
c.
The Committee
shall be appointed no later than 9/1 in each year and shall be composed of four
(4) representatives appointed by the SPS and four (4) representatives appointed
by the SEA. A special DSU meeting will
be held within the first three weeks of school to address safety issues, if
any, in Level 4B classrooms.
d.
The Committee
shall hold its first regular meeting by no later than 10/15 in each year and
shall continue to meet on a prearranged schedule agreeable to the Committee
members. However, the committee will meet outside of its scheduled meetings to
provide relief to impacted staff and students as soon as possible.
e.
Relief
Funds: The SPS will provide a fund of: $450,000
for the school year. For the 2009-2010
school year only, SPS will provide an additional $150,000 to the fund for a
total of $600,000. The purpose of the
fund is to alleviate problems beyond regular baseline staffing in the area of
Special Education self-contained/resource classrooms and to provide assistance
when related services personnel have excessive caseloads. The following procedures shall apply for the
identification of problems and recommendation of proposed resolution:
1) Problems associated with employee
workload, as identified by a certificated non- supervisory employee
serving students with disabilities, shall be first brought to the attention of the building principal/program manager.
2) If a
solution is not achieved at the building level, the employee may, by no later
than May
1 each year, refer the problem(s) to the Joint Committee.
3) Recommendations
of the Committee shall be made to the appropriate administrator, with the final decision to be made by the Superintendent
or designee.
4) All
Committee recommendations for additional staff must be received by the appropriate administrator by May 15
of each year.
5) Costs
associated with the final decision shall be paid for from the DSU fund.
10. Information
provided to assist staff in meeting student needs:
a.
A handbook of
administrative guidelines of SPS rules, regulations, and procedures will be
maintained and modified as appropriate by the SPS, utilizing recommendations
from a SPS-wide Special Education Committee which shall be representative of
each Special Education category.
b.
In order to
facilitate the educational assessment and programming of students with
disabilities, and to provide health/medical and legal safeguards for the
students and employees, the following information shall, to the extent
possible, be made available within the receiving building prior to student
placement:
1) Student Services Assessment Report and Summary;
2) Medical records;
3) Specialized Education Services Report(s), if
applicable;
4) Parent Appraisal;
5) Student's initial and current IEP’s;
6) Former educational program and social information;
and,
7) Notice of any critical condition.
11. In addition, the employees who are
responsible for preparing IEP’s are entitled to at least thirty (30) additional
hours paid at per diem, for the purpose of preparing IEP’s. To access this
payment the employee must be current in IEP preparation.
12. SEA and
SPS will convene an Integrated Comprehensive Services Task Force. The Task Force will be comprised of special
education teachers, general education teachers, building leaders, family
representatives, and leaders from the Special Education Department. SEA and SPS will work together to select
members (equal numbers of SPS and SEA members) of the Task Force to ensure a
representative work group. This Task
Force will meet monthly to review data, share insights and observations,
problem solve, and make recommendations for adjustments to the ICS model. The Task Force will also be charged with
reviewing and making recommendations for staffing ratios for special education
services.
SECTION G: Covering
Classes and Substitute Rebate and Reimbursement
1.
Requests
initiated by the building principal/program manager or his/her designee to
cover classes not regularly assigned may be made only as deemed necessary by
the building principal/program manager or his/her designee in emergencies when
arrangements for regular substitutes cannot be made, either because of a time
factor or unavailability of a qualified substitute. See Section 4 below, Substitute’s
Rebate and Reimbursement, for details regarding substitute rebate and
reimbursement when a substitute is not available and another teacher or
teachers in the building cover the absent teacher’s class or classes.
a.
Arrangements for
class coverage may be made between employees with the approval of the building
principal/program manager.
b.
To facilitate
specific professional programs, arrangements to utilize other staff members to
cover classes may be initiated by the staff with approval of the building
principal/program manager.
2.
Practicum
students and non-certificated personnel may be used to cover classes only in
emergency situations as described in Section G, Item 1 above. Except in unusual circumstances, practicum
students and non-certificated personnel shall not cover classes other than
those to which they are regularly assigned.
In exceptional situations, the building principal/program manager or
his/her designee shall make the decision for an arrangement and shall accept
ultimate responsibility.
3.
No Special
Education teacher shall be required to teach a program for which he/she does not
have the appropriate training and/or experience as determined by the SPS.
4.
Substitutes
Rebate and Reimbursement: The SPS shall rebate to each building/program/office
a sum equivalent to a substitute’s daily rate of pay for each occurrence during
the school year that the SPS is unable to provide a substitute to a
building/program/office which has, following the normal process, notified the
Substitute Services of their need for substitute services. The rebate shall be
provided to affected buildings/program/offices on a quarterly basis.
5.
Each building
will have an emergency substitute process in place that equitably distributes
the responsibility for covering teaching assignments when a substitute is not
available. Each school will determine a reimbursement policy for SEA-represented
non-supervisory certificated staff substituting for other SEA-represented staff
consistent with the following guidelines:
a. For
certificated non-supervisory staff substituting for other certificated
non-supervisory staff:
1) All schools will determine a reimbursement policy for
substituting based on the daily rate of pay for a substitute. Building staff will, through the building decision-making
process, determine pay based on blocks of time, such as periods, the entire
day, or percent of a class.
Reimbursement will not be based on an hourly rate of pay.
2) This compensation is similar to the stipend for
additional duties.
3) The building staff may determine if a stipend will be
paid out of the money reimbursed to the building for bookkeeping within a
building.
4) Based on the school’s reimbursement policy, staff who
substitute when a regular substitute is not available shall complete a
Certificated Substitute Reimbursement Form on a quarterly basis.
b. For certificated non-supervisory staff when a paraprofessional
substitute is not provided, the certificated staff will be reimbursed at the
rate of pay for a paraprofessional substitute.
SECTION H: School
Facilities, Teaching Stations and Itinerant Work Space
1.
Employees shall
serve only in properly maintained, adequate facilities which provide standard
heating, ventilation, and lighting. The
facility shall meet all health and safety standards for employees.
2.
When it is
necessary to assign employees to relocatable structures (portables), the
building principal/program manager will discuss the assignment with the
employee.
3.
Kindergarten
classes shall not be assigned to relocatable structures unless the facility is
specifically suitable for the classes.
The determination shall be made by the building principal/program
manager after discussion with the faculty and the affected kindergarten
teachers.
4.
Classrooms that
are used for eating areas at lunch due to no central feeding location at the
school site will be cleaned daily.
5.
Movement of
Employees Within the Program
a.
In assigning
classrooms and teaching stations, an employee shall not be assigned to more
than two (2) teaching station assignments nor be required to "float"
for two (2) consecutive years without agreement by the employee and the
building principal/program manager.
b.
Assignment to
more than one (1) teaching station shall be made in accordance with the
following conditions:
1) For
educationally sound reasons, such as implementation of flexibility in programming;
2) With as
little disruption to the instructional program and personnel as possible.
c.
With classrooms
between which the employee must travel to be located as conveniently near one
another as possible. Whenever possible,
the SPS shall make the following provisions for the "floating
employee":
1) Adequate storage in each classroom
in which the employee works, e.g., file and desk drawer, table with drawers, or
a section of a cabinet;
2) Equipment and materials
located within each room, e.g., books, basic laboratory equipment, and audio-visual
equipment so only the employee must move;
3)
A private desk and file cabinet for the "floating employee"
away from students, not necessarily
in an individual office, but some place where only building staff members are admitted.
6.
The SPS shall
provide a teaching station for the itinerant teaching personnel with required
equipment and in an appropriate location as determined in consultation among
the employee, supervisor and building principal/program manager.
a.
Student Service
personnel and itinerant Special Education personnel shall be provided an
adequate working space for each particular building.
b.
The working
space shall be reserved for the personnel during the time they are regularly
scheduled into the building.
c.
The needs for
privacy and/or the protection of materials shall be met.
d.
The employees
shall be provided access to a telephone where private conversations are
possible.
e.
After discussion
with the employee, the building principal is responsible for making these
arrangements. The building principal and the program manager will work to
resolve conflicts regarding space.
7. The
working space of any employee will be of the appropriate size to fit the
students and employees safely and comfortably in the assigned room. SPS will assign students and place programs
at appropriate sites to ensure that there is adequate working space.
SECTION I: Kindergarten Instruction
1.
All kindergarten
teachers shall be provided Preparation-Conference-Planning (PCP) time
consistent with Article IX,C of this Agreement.
2.
All kindergarten
teachers shall be provided with one (1) ten (10) minute break in the morning
and one (1) ten (10) minute break in the afternoon. Time for the breaks shall be mutually agreed
upon with the building administrator.
Supervision of students within the class shall be provided during the
breaks as arranged by the building administrator with the teacher.
3.
The SPS shall
strive to provide suitable kindergarten classrooms appropriately equipped for
effective learning. Building
principals/program managers and employees will discuss room assignments in the
light of available facilities in the building as indicated in Article IX,H of
this Contract.
4.
Kindergarten
teachers who are assigned to two (2) buildings shall be scheduled in such a
manner as to provide a thirty (30) minute duty-free lunch period plus necessary
travel time between buildings.
5.
Kindergarten
teachers assigned to two (2) buildings shall be provided one (1) full day of
released time each month. The released
time will provide the teacher an opportunity to remain a full day in one (1) of
the buildings for the purpose of preparing instructional materials and for
conferring with staff and parents.
6.
The contract
year for one-half (.5) day kindergarten teachers shall include one (1) teacher
duty day without students present at the beginning and end of the academic
year.
7.
A teacher
assigned to a split kindergarten/first grade class shall have only one (1)
session of kindergarten in addition to the first grade.
8.
The total number
of minutes of instructional time shall be consistent for all half-time
kindergartens and consistent for all full-time kindergartens throughout the
SPS.
SECTION J: Bilingual Education
1.
Bilingual
Education programs shall have clearly defined goals, objectives and measurable
achievements for the level of instruction.
2.
Bilingual
teachers shall cooperatively plan and hold appropriate meetings with SPS
administrators regarding their programs.
3.
Elementary
Bilingual self-contained (BOC) students shall be included in total enrollment
count for each building in determining staffing for clerical and PCP based on a
school's enrollment.
4.
The SPS will
ensure that the SPS Bilingual staffing level, when compared to the statewide
average Bilingual staffing level, will be no less than the relationship of the
SPS regular program staffing level compared to the statewide average regular
program staffing level.
5.
Bilingual
teachers will be staffed at a ratio of 1 teacher for each 70 students at the
elementary level and 1 teacher for each 45 students at the Middle School and
High School level. Bilingual Instructional Assistants will be staffed at 1
assistant for each 28 students.
6.
The ELL
Department Chair/Team Leader will receive a stipend based on the number of
adults (both certificated and classified) working in the ELL program at the
school. Thirty (30) hours of extra time,
calculated at the average teacher rate will be instituted at each
school/program to mitigate some of workload responsibilities that increased as
a result of changes in paperwork, recordkeeping and delivery models. The Bilingual Department at each site will
decide the use of these monies.
7.
The Bilingual Program will become a differentiated service
model. The goal is to provide a
collaborative teaching model that supports specialized, differentiated,
instruction to bilingual students with English speaking peers that will be
provided with the expertise of a bilingual-endorsed teacher.
This
service model will be implemented in a phased manner beginning in the 2009-2010
school year with six (6) pilot schools.
Based on the results in the first year of the differentiated service
model, SPS intends to implement the model in other schools. Current bilingual staff will be given the
opportunity to “opt out” of the new model if they do not wish to continue in
this differentiated service model. In
this event, staff will be permitted to displace themselves using the regular
displacement process or may choose a non-bilingual position within their school
if a vacancy exists for which the displaced person is qualified.
Bilingual certificated
teachers will be staffed at a ratio of 1 teacher for each 50 students at the
elementary level. Bilingual
Instructional Assistants will be staffed at 1 assistant for each 41
students. Bilingual teachers and general
education teachers who participate in the collaborative teaching model will be
provided with at least one (1) hour of paid collaboration time per week to
facilitate the implementation of the differentiated service model. This collaboration time will be directed by
the Bilingual Program Department and will be used also to promote professional
learning communities within the Bilingual Program.
Any monetary savings derived
from the implementation of these staffing ratios will be designated by SPS for
the Bilingual IA to Bilingual Teacher certification program and the general
certificated teacher to to Bilingual Teacher certification program. A joint
committee of equal numbers of SEA and SPS representatives will review the
implementation of the new model and make recommendations regarding further
expansion of the new model by January 4, 2010.
Committee regarding Bilingual Staffing
a.
A Joint Committee
shall be convened to review staff requests and make recommendations for
expenditure of funds appropriated under Item d below.
b.
The Committee
shall be appointed by no later than October 1 of each year and shall be
composed of three (3) representatives appointed by the SPS and three (3)
representatives appointed by the SEA.
c.
The Committee
shall hold its first meeting by no later than October 15 of each year and shall
continue to meet on a pre-arranged schedule agreeable to the Committee members.
The Committee should make itself available to provide relief to impacted staff
and students as soon as possible.
d.
The SPS will
provide a fund of $300,000 each year. The purpose of the fund is to alleviate
problems beyond regular baseline staffing in the area of Bilingual
self-contained classrooms and to provide assistance when related services
personnel have excessive caseloads. The
following procedures shall apply for the identification of problems and
recommendation of proposed resolution.
1) Problems associated with employee workload, as
identified by a certificated non-supervisory employee serving bilingual
students, shall be first brought to the attention of the building
principal/program manager.
2) If a solution is not achieved at the building level,
the employee may, by no later than March 2 of each year, refer the problem(s)
to the Joint Committee,
3) Recommendations of the Joint Committee shall be made
to the appropriate line administrator, with the final decision to be made by
the Superintendent.
e.
All Joint Committee
recommendations for additional staff must be received by the appropriate line
administrator by March 16 of each year.
f.
Costs associated
with the final decision shall be made from the above-referenced fund.
SECTION K: School
Counselors and Social Workers
1.
Pursuant to
rules established by the State Board of Education, all school counselors
employed by the Seattle Public Schools shall hold a valid Educational Staff
Associate (ESA) Counseling Certificate.
High School Counselors shall also hold valid teachers' credentials in
the State of
2.
Each counselor
shall be accountable to the principal/program manager of the building to which
he/she is assigned.
3.
Each secondary
school shall be allotted five (5) days for each full-time equivalent counselor
at per diem pay. These days shall be
assigned to the building counselors by the building principal/program manager
after discussion with the counseling staff.
4.
Each secondary
counselor will have five (5) additional days at per diem pay a year for working
on scheduling, registration, and other counseling activities.
5.
Except in
unusual circumstances there shall be no more than one (1) part-time counselor
in any one (1) secondary building.
Part-time secondary counselors shall retain their preparation periods.
6.
Secondary
counselors are assigned on a ratio of approximately 400:1.
7.
Middle School
and Elementary counselors shall hold either a valid Educational Staff Associate
(ESA) Counseling or School Social Workers Certificate. Whenever feasible
elementary counselors shall be assigned to one (1) building.
8.
Counselors may
attend professional meetings and conferences during school hours as recommended
by and approved by the appropriate building principal/program manager.
9.
Nothing in this
provision prevents the SPS from determining that an ESA certificated School
Social Worker be hired at the high school level to fulfill duties appropriate
to the certificate.
SECTION L: Student Services
1. ESA personnel
shall have SPS-wide supervision provided by a responsible individual in the
Central Administration. The District will work to ensure that supervisory staff
who evaluate ESA employees have the background necessary to work
collaboratively with the ESA in the evaluation process.
2. Periodic
meetings of the various ESA groups will be established by the appropriate line
administrators/team leaders for the purpose of planning and consulting to meet
the needs of students.
3. Educational
Staff Associates may attend professional meetings and conferences during school
hours as recommended by and approved by the appropriate line administrators.
4. SPS
will consult with school psychologists to ensure that they have the tools
necessary to do their jobs effectively.
1.
A major goal of
the SPS is to provide a full program of instruction to meet the needs of all
students. In an effort to meet this
goal, the SPS shall continue to maintain and staff library and learning
resource center facilities. Continuous
access to library collections and flexible scheduling of facilities shall be a
major component of the plans.
2.
The SPS shall
adhere to appropriate State laws and regulations relative to library services
within the public schools of the State of
3.
Elementary and
secondary librarians will arrange cooperative meetings during the employee's
work day at their respective levels for purposes of discussing books, materials
or other business pertinent to professional librarians. These meetings shall be cooperatively planned
and implemented by the supervisor of libraries and a committee including at
least four (4) librarians.
a.
Coordination for
the meetings will be through the appropriate SPS administrator's office.
b.
Arrangements
will be made at each building for the libraries to remain open.
c.
Librarians shall
be eligible for consideration for attendance at the annual meeting of the
Washington State Association of School Libraries held in the spring and the
State Librarian Workshop held in the fall under the provisions of Article VI,
A.12 of this Contract.
4.
The Library
Catalog Unit shall be staffed and equipped so that library materials received
by the SPS can be delivered to the buildings promptly. Unreasonable delays shall be a subject for
discussion by librarians with the Library Supervisor and the appropriate
Assistant Superintendent.
5.
The Librarian
shall be a member of the faculty representative organization in each school.
a.
All librarians
should allow time in their daily schedule for conferencing with faculty members
to implement the most efficient use of the library as a learning and resource
center. Librarians shall not provide a substantial amount of PCP time, (not
more than ˝ their time) during their librarian assignment.
b.
All library
staff is directly responsible to the Librarian.
6.
Five additional
days per school, shall be made available for the academic year at per diem rate
to be used in the opening and closing of the facilities. One (1) or two (2) of the available days may
be utilized during winter or spring vacation to complete tasks that cannot be
carried out during the school year.
1.
World languages
in the Seattle Public Schools shall be taught by teachers adequately prepared
in the language offered.
2.
World language
programs shall have clearly defined goals, objectives and measurable
achievements for the level of instruction.
3.
World language
teachers shall cooperatively plan and hold appropriate meetings with SPS
administrators regarding their programs.
1.
All school
nurses within the Seattle Public Schools shall hold valid Educational Staff
Associate (ESA) Certificates issued by the State Superintendent of Public
Instruction and a Washington Nurses License.
2.
One-half (.5)
day released time or the equivalent amount of monies shall be provided monthly
for all school nurses to meet under the direction of the Health Services
Supervisor for the purpose of professional development on matters that will
assist in meeting the needs of the students within the SPS, or to provide staff
development for school nurses.
3.
The SPS Student
Health Services administration, Governance Council and the school nursing staff
will continue to examine the SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES
HANDBOOK.
4.
Nurses shall be
provided with a duty-free lunch period of thirty (30) minutes. The school nurse may, at his/her own option,
choose to schedule his/her lunch break to provide health care during the
students' lunch period.
5.
When substitute
nurses are employed, they shall be paid at the same rate as the substitute.
6.
Nurses shall be
freed from responsibility to building professional development activities on
the learning improvement day and the two (2) District TRI days, although they
may elect to participate. In addition nurses
will receive 2 days compensation at per diem per site prior to the beginning of
school. These days will be used by the nurses to fulfill their responsibilities
in developing and implementing health plans for students with life threatening
illnesses. Days will not be pro-rated by FTE.
Instead, on a per school basis, nurses will be permitted to work two
full days before the start of school, based on the standard working day
outlined in Article IX, Section A of the CBA.
7.
Health
Services Delivery. The staff or an appropriate Building Committee, including a
SAEOP representative and the Principal, will annually discuss how to provide
health services to students when a school nurse or health assistant is not
present. (Held at the start of the
school year and again as the budget is being prepared.)