Urge Assembly Rules, Appropriations to Defeat Rigid Formula Layoff Bill, SB 1285

CTA-opposed SB 1285 (Steinberg) bill is scheduled to be heard either in the Assembly Rules Committee or the Assembly Appropriations Committee as early as Monday. 

Get in touch with these lawmakers at their local offices now and then contact your own Assembly member, if she or he is not on the committee.

The message is simple:  SB 1285 will deprive our neediest students of their most experienced educators. Vote against SB 1285 in the Assembly Rules or Assembly Appropriations Committee - don't vote it out!

This bad bill ties the hands of local decision makers in determining the best layoff procedures to meet the needs of students and schools in the district.  This unnecessary legislation would prohibit a district from laying off more teachers at a Decile 1-3 school than the average proportion in the district.

This proposal requires school districts to keep less experienced teachers and lay off more experienced teachers regardless of performance.  There is no data to support the assumption that this rigid formula improves instruction, but there is significant data that shows students perform better with more experienced teachers. The unintended consequence will certainly be that teachers with less than five years experience will comprise the staff of high priority schools.

SB 1285 establishes an unproven procedure that will eliminate local control and aggravate the destabilizing and traumatic impacts of teacher lay offs on schools and students. 

We urge a "No" vote when this bill is heard in the Assembly Rules or Assembly Appropriations Committee. 

To contact these lawmakers -

Paste the following link in your browser and use the CTA Legislative Action Center:

   
http://capwiz.com/nea/ca/home/ 

Or you can call them directly at their district offices using the numbers below:
 
Assembly Rules Committee

Nancy Skinner, Chair (Berkeley) 510/286-1400

 

Ted Gaines, Vice Chair (Roseville) 916/774-4430

 

Anthony Adams (Hesperia)  626/359-8305

 

Anna Caballero (Salinas) 831/759-8676

Mike Gatto (Burbank) 818/558-3043

 

Curt Hagman (Diamond Bar) 909/627-7021

  

Ted Lieu (Torrance) 310/615-3515

 

Tony Mendoza (Artesia) 562/864-5600

 

Lori Saldana (San Diego) 619/645-3090

 

Jim Silva (Huntington Beach) 714/843-4966

Tom Torlakson (Martinez) 925/372-7990

Speaker of the Assembly John A.  Pérez  (Los Angeles) 213/620-4646
  

Alternates

 

Joe Coto (San Jose) 408/277-1220

 

Jim Nielsen (Biggs) 530/223-6300

Assembly Appropriations Committee

Felipe Fuentes, Chair (Arleta) (818) 504-3911

Connie Conway, Vice Chair (Visalia) (559) 636-3440

Steven Bradford (Inglewood) (310) 412-6400

Charles Calderon (City of Industry) (562) 692-5858

Joe Coto (San Jose) (408) 277-1220

Mike Davis (Los Angeles) ((213)-744-2111)

Kevin de Leon (Los Angeles) (323) 225-4545

Mike Gatto (Burbank) (818) 340-6330

Isadore Hall (Compton) (310) 223-1201)

Diane Harkey (Oceanside) (760) 757-8084

Jeff Miller (Mission Viejo) (951) 737-1671

Jim Nielson (Redding) (530) 223-6300

Chris Norby (Brea) (714) 672-4734

Nancy Skinner (Oakland) (510) 286-1400

Jose Solario (Anaheim) (714) 939-8469

Tom Torlakson (Martinez) (925) 372-7990

Albert Torrico (Fremont) (510) 440-9030