FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. How many jobs can be saved?

A.  That depends on which of the options are pursued, but the goal is to save as many jobs as possible and minimize layoffs. We need our teachers in the classroom so our children have the opportunity to learn. 

Q. When does the School Board vote?

A. The Board is scheduled to vote on April 14, 2009 to adopt its projected budget. After this, they will begin to move forward in implementing the budget, however changes can still be made and the final decision regarding layoffs will be made in May or June.

Q. What can parents do to help?

A. Voice your opinion. Send an email to the School Board telling them what you think.  Follow up with your Assembly Members, State Senators and other civic leaders to push them to support the different ideas introduced on this website.  

Q. What can we do to help?

A. There are multiple ways to take action. Here are some actions you can take to help ensure that LAUSD minimizes the number of school based employees it lays off:

Voice your opinion. Send an email to the School Board telling them what you think.  Follow up with your Assembly Members, State Senators and other civic leaders to push them to support the different ideas introduced on this website.

Share ideas on where the district can make additional cuts to the bureaucracy with your school Board members and the Superintendent. For example, if the district could find an additional $25 million in cuts to the bureaucracy, that would translate into approximately 290 teaching jobs.

Call your Assemblyperson, State Senator, and the Governor and urge them to release all of the federal stimulus funds earmarked for LAUSD immediately and ask them not to take any portion of the funds for administrative purposes. If the State and County don’t take a portion of the State Stabilization and Title 1 Stimulus funds, it would provide LAUSD with an additional $60.1 million that could be used to save approximately 700 teaching jobs. Sign the petition on this website which will be regularly sent to elected officials.

Call or write your Congressperson and the Department of Education to encourage them to approve a waiver from LAUSD that would enable $31 million in Title 1 stimulus money to be used more flexibly. This could potentially save 360 teaching jobs.

Share in the responsibility and sacrifice necessary to save jobs. If all LAUSD employees give a little, jobs could be saved. If employees agreed to no pay raises in 2009-2010, that could save approximately 1,100 school based jobs. If employees agreed to a 3% decrease in salary, that could save as many as 3,300 school based jobs.  

Get involved. Sign the petition to save the teachers of Los Angeles.  Organize other parents at your school through online communities, petitions and rallies to ensure your voices are heard.  

Q. What about next year? If we save jobs this year, will we have enough money to keep them next year?

A. The focus is on the budget need for this year. Once the budget for this year is in place, we will begin working on finding ways to reduce spending or increase revenues to prevent other cuts. 

Q. Will California receive federal stimulus funds? If so, will they be used to minimize layoffs?

A. Yes, the State of California will receive Federal Stimulus Funds and this will definitely help us to save teachers jobs.  For more information on the Federal Stimulus Funds allocated to LAUSD, please visit the INFO section of this website. 

Q. What are Title 1 funds? Do all schools receive them?

A. Title 1 funds are formula grants that provide financial assistance to Local Education Agencies and schools with high numbers or high percentages of poor children to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

All schools do not receive Title 1 funds and Title 1 funds can only be used to support Title 1 students

Q. Who created the Save LA Teachers website?

A. The website has been funded by the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, www.partnershipla.org, a non-profit organization that serves some of the highest need schools in Los Angeles.  After talking with teachers about the budget crisis and hearing their concerns, the Partnership believed it was important to create a community where teachers, parents and others could get information about the budget crisis, share ideas and take action to try and improve the situation.