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Teacher morale concerns S.C. Superintendent Rex(Aiken Standard Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Mar. 13--With the recession deepening and South Carolina now ranked second only to Michigan in unemployment, State Superintendent of Education Dr. Jim Rex is worried about morale among educators. "Our school system has seen $370 million in cuts this year," he told Aiken County residents at a community meeting Thursday. "The school districts' budgets have been cut by 15 percent. When you get to that level, you're eventually going to have to get into personnel." Rex was invited by S.C. Rep. Bill Clyburn, R-Aiken, to discuss his education vision and the current budget woes facing the state. The Aiken School District expects to displace around 90 teachers through an increase in class sizes and has told all retired teachers still on faculties that they may not be rehired for the next term. Rex supports a flexibility measure -- which has passed the S.C. House and is now in the Senate -- that would, in part, allow districts to furlough faculty and staff up to five days as a possible alternative to laying off teachers. Another component of the legislation would permit districts to renegotiate salaries with retirees if they are needed to return to their positions or take other jobs. Currently, said Rex, those teachers must receive their full pay if rehired, as well as their retirement pay. The opportunity to negotiate "will save money and save districts the option of hiring retirees back," Rex said. "I think that's fair." When the General Assembly passes that legislation, said Aiken Superintendent Dr. Beth Everitt, "our board will sit down and talk about what that means for us. We'd like to have it as an option so we can put it on the table." In opening remarks, Rex cited his vision for education in the state -- more instructional innovation, public school choice, a more credible and rational accountability system, elevation of the teaching profession and adequate and equitable funding for public schools. Parent Carol Sherburne has been a vocal supporter of the International Baccalaureate program at Aiken High and North Augusta High, which has been targeted for elimination by the School Board to save around $400,000. Sherburne asked Rex to use his influence to save the IB program, which she said fits his innovation model. "The IB program works," Rex said. "It is somewhat expensive and wouldn't be a problem if we had more adequate funding. But our districts are really struggling, and they have to decide what their priorities are." It is essential, the state superintendent said, to get an education-funding mechanism for the state that works. Rex wants to see funding that follows a student -- allocations that would be weighted for low-income, English as Second Language (ESL), gifted and talented and special needs students. Aiken County Councilman Willar Hightower said property tax reform and a new reliance on sales tax revenue has not worked, and Rex readily agreed. "Many of the legislators involved in Act 388 who thought they were doing the right thing," said Rex, "now publicly or privately admit it was a mistake and was actually a recipe for disaster. That's why we need comprehensive tax reform to make sure there are no more unintended consequences." Contact Rob Novit at [email protected]. To see more of the Aiken Standard or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.aikenstandard.com/. Copyright (c) 2009, Aiken Standard, S.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |