Efforts to finalize the plan are still in the works, said Superintendent Jeff McDaniel in a prepared statement on Monday.
Last week, McDaniel said he wasn’t sure how many employees would be affected, but school principals are expected to receive a
list of their selected employees today.
“I will be meeting individually with principals and directors over the next few days to inform our system leaders of system and school employees impacted by the RIF plan,” McDaniel wrote in an email sent to all system employees Monday morning.
The message informed staff members that every employee included in the reduction in force would be informed by Friday.
“However, please understand that there will continue to be reassignments of personnel over the next several months as a result of the implementation of the RIF plan,” he said.
The email outlined the need to institute a RIF plan to keep the school system fiscally sound.
Severe cuts in state funding to the school system over the last 10 years made a RIF plan was necessary.
McDaniel emphasized that the school system is doing everything to maximize resources for children in the school system and serve the vital programs in our schools while reducing the system’s overall workforce.
Through the implementation of the RIF plan, the school system hopes to save more than $7 million in salaries for Fiscal Year 2014, which begins July 1, 2013.
“I know that this process has been difficult for all of our personnel in our system,” McDaniel wrote. “It is our hope that making the hard decisions as early as possible this year will help those impacted prepare for the next school year.”
He also emphasized the need to proceed with the implementation of the RIF plan professionally and with courtesy toward system employees.
“No one included in the plan should find out through a news story in the newspaper or on social media,” McDaniel wrote. “I will continue to work toward that goal this week.”
According to the open ga web site 7 of the 21 principals are making more than $100,000 per year. That equals 1/3 of them.
In another post i mentioned that i thought that the Floyd County Education Center, better known as the alternative school, should be shut down and the students dealt with at their own schools. The principal there made $112,540.32 last year. Also one principal who has worked in the Ga system for only 9 years makes the same amount of money. This person is also receiving a retirement check from Tn. How many teachers & para pro's would these inflated salaries pay for?
With the limited info i could find there are 98 people working ( or maybe i should say assigned to ) the Central Office. With 21 schools in the county system, that's 4.6 person per school.
It will be interesting to see what positions are done away with today. While i agree that the RN-T should not publish the names of the individuals who are losing their jobs, i think they should list what positions at each school and the central office are being eliminated. While some positions are so high profile that it wont be hard to figure out the person in that position, we should know how many positions are being done away with at our children's school.
As a taxpayer in Floyd County i want to know where my money is being spent and to know that it isnt being wasted on someone who is only keeping their job because of who they know instead of how well they do their job. Too many cases in the past of people keeping their jobs or positions being created for them because they " know where the bodies are buried".
Now let's get down to brass tacks with the question of the day:
True or False: The Rome News-Tribune subpoenaed "the list" of employees to be cut so they could publish it ahead of those employees finding out about it from school administration.
Go.
I know it would be tough for all but at least we would not have a community full of unemployed individuals and nothing would have to change within the schools.
My guess is that it would take away about 2 checks from the average salaried employee. Again, at least it would not be their whole salary.
Just a thought.
It really doesn't matter though...the RIF is a reality and we will learn the details we all dread tomorrow.
I have to agree with you about elem. counselors moving into high school being a bad decision for the exact reasons you stated.
I'm not certain the open records site is completely accurate. In fact, I know it's not...my own salary for 2013 is listed as almost $7000 more than I actually made...have no idea how/where the info was obtained, but the salaries may not be what the employees were actually paid, If, however, they are accurate, I also think there needs to be an intense investigation that doesn't end until any and all "secrets" are revealed.
I agree wholeheartedly that Dr. McDaniel is not to blame for any of this...he is in an unbelievably tough position in having no choice but to enforce a massive RIF to simply keep the system afloat. For years, as Rome City has laid off employees, most of us thought FC had somehow managed finances better, thus avoiding layoffs. Guess we were wrong...by avoiding cuts along the way, we are now facing system wide devastation.
Hopefully, the Atlanta investigative reporters will latch on and uncover any wrongdoings. In the meantime, our system employees, both those that are cut and those who are not, need the prayers and support of the community. We are hurting on many levels.
I'm sure GAE will be all over this, and PAGE has already sent info to its members regarding the RIF. I can honestly say that few, if any, saw this coming. We all thought the 10 furlough days were implemented to prevent layoffs and were sucker-punched when the RIF news hit. I think the previous superintendent/s should be held more accountable than Dr. McDaniel, particularly if the raises, clothing allownces, etc. prove true.
I don't agree with teachers coming back part time. I think the system is not bringing part time employees back next year.
No one can be forced to retire. I agree with you! If you are at retirement age, GOOOO. Give the youger people the opportunity to earn a living. Let a young teacher with a family keep their job. It is irresponsible for these teachers to hold on, out of spite, in these economic conditions.
Again, I keep hearing about this HUGE Central Office with big salaries and unimportant people. Who are they? What positions can go? What do we know about the positions that some say non-critical? It's easy to say, "the Central Office makes too much. So and so does nothing. We don't need all those people there.". That's just people wanting to hear themselves talk. Let's hear facts and specifics
The beauty of education is a teacher can retire after 30 years of service. So many educators can retire in their 50's. Also the smart educator planned for and has access to 3 different retirements. My children's school has at least one teacher hanging on out of spite bc the person isn't going "to be forced out". I agree. We need a good mix of seasoned educators and new blood. But if an educator is at retirement age, they need to go and allow newer teachers with knowledge of innovations in technology and teaching methods in the classroom. It's not the community's fault that a teacher at retirement age has made wise financial decisions and planned for their future. I thank all educators for their service. But the choice is easy, I want fresh, new ideas and concepts being taught to my kids.
It is always easier to make untrue statements like "Raising Taxes is NOT the answer. People are taxed to death NOW" than it is to make a factual statement based on actual numbers and actual data. Just so you will know, here are the facts for Georgia:
-Between 1989 and 2010, revenue from Georgia's corporate income tax were slashed by 46% per capita.
-Between 2000 and 2010, per capita revenue collected through personal income tax in Georgia fell by 26%.
-Between 2000 an 2010, per capita revenue from sales tax in Georgia dropped by 31%.
-Over the past 10 years, per capita revenue from all state generated revenue in Georgia has dropped by 27%, which leads the nation.
-By 2008, not only did Georgia rank LAST in state generated per capita revenue, Georgia was 18% below the average of our surrounding southern states. Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida all generate more revenue per capita than does Georgia.
SOURCE: Georgia State University Fiscal Research Center
So Sam61, you see, we are really not overtaxed as you claim. Local governments and local school systems have cut and cut and cut over the past 10 years, while State Legislators continued to give away revenue at an alarming pace through special interest tax breaks. The choice is pretty simple: Rome and Floyd County can make the necessary investments in education and infrastructure, or we can continue to watch Cartow, Gordon, Whitfield, Paulding and others pass us by.
"-Between 2000 and 2010, per capita revenue collected through personal income tax in Georgia fell by 26%.
-Between 2000 an 2010, per capita revenue from sales tax in Georgia dropped by 31%."
That's because personal income fell and people had less to spend. That means people are having a harder time getting by. Do you think the way to solve people's problems is to raise their taxes while their income is going down?
As to Georgia's per capita tax take being lower than surrounding states, that is a meaningless comparison. Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina are also overtaxed. All Americans are. That's why Pacquiao's next fight problably won't be in the US. That's why Tina Turner just renounced her citizenship.
You may not have heard, but the Great Recession effected the entire nation, which includes all 50 states. So the per capita income levels in the study were effected basically the same for all 50 states, with maybe the exception of Texas. The energy boom there already has their economic recover well ahead of the rest of the country.So the numbers are all relative.
You next claim is equally off base:
"As to Georgia's per capita tax take being lower than surrounding states, that is a meaningless comparison. Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina are also overtaxed All Americans are."
The facts just don't support your claims. Georgia is 50th in per capita revenue. Florida is 49th, Tennessee is 45th, Mississippi is 40th, South Carolina is 39th, Alabama is 38th. All WELL BELOW the national median.
So just like Sam61, your opinion about taxes in Georgia is simply false. Just because people say they are over-taxed, doesn't make it true. We all should demand efficient use of our tax dollars by those we elect to administer those funds. But dismantling our education system, allowing our infrastructure to crumble, and reducing our quality of life in the name of reducing taxes simply is a formula for disaster. We can't continue to "dumb down" our students and our workforce and expect Rome to attract new jobs.
And tell Tina Turner not to let the door hit her big fat a** on the way out.
This has all been handled so wrong, I wonder how much thought was really put into how to sell this. Instead of a cold, calculated, law suit proof chop job, there was plenty of morale and goodwill to find a way around this that would have full employment as it's goal.
How about a "Save Our System" campaign? Rome is trying so hard to be relevant with all the high-tech events sponsored here - where was the input from the Chamber of Commence? Education is supposed to be aligned with the needs of business, especially local business. Can they help in some way?
Parent input? Schools beg for parents to be involved with their students education. When fundamental issues like this are decided without parent input, how can parents ever feel involved? Could they have helped in some way?
There are only bad reasons why school employees had no voice in this. The people actually doing the jobs should have a say, they were always told they did. Could they have had some ideas to help? Instead they have no idea of what is happening, and now the delays...
How about asking other systems how they are coping? For years school employees have been told how much better their system was doing than other systems. Are those other systems still doing worse? Is that where we are heading? Did anyone ask them about anything other than how did their RIF work?
Obviously the system must have a budget to operate and since they have just about the highest per pupil expenditure rate (as reported on this website) something needs to change. Why does it cost more here? From what I understand there is plenty of fat to trim, while effective programs are being cut. If the problem is too many employees then a RIF is necessary, but the approach is just not what people here expected. If things get worse, the lost community goodwill will be hard to replace. I wonder how the next education related SPLOST will go?
As always, the students suffer.
We will pass a SPOLST to pay for parks or a fancy computer lab... But we won't pass one to pay for teachers??
This town has their priorities mixed up... We might as well just start handing out meth to the kids to make certain their lives are ruined... We're trying pretty hard already...
I am not saying I agree or disagree but the bottom line is that salaries are the highest line item in the budget.
Look at what you are going to do when you put 35 to 37 students in a classroom...WTH!!! Do you really believe those students are going to be able to learn..Do really think that the teacher is going to be able teach and control that many students in ONE classroom....????
What are you people thinking about...?? Your NOT!!!! All you care about is MONEY!!!
You do not care about the importance of teaching, graduation....You do not care about the teachers, principals, or the Students!!!!
You individuals are fixing to get a wake up call!!!