School Board Celebrates a Year Without Teacher Layoffs

After seven years of annual budget cutting due to reduced state funding, Moreno Valley Unified School District (MVUSD) employees and School Board are celebrating the fact that no permanent certificated (teaching) employee is expected to lose work this year. March 15 is the deadline each year for school districts to notify employees of potential layoffs, but this year’s deadline passed with little notice. “We so value the work our teachers do each day,” said School Board President Tracey Vackar. “It’s a welcome relief to be able to keep the momentum of excellence we’re building by keeping everyone on the job and focused on teaching and learning.” Moreno Valley Educators Association (MVEA) President Harold Acord cited the culture of collaboration that has been created between the District and the Association, and the shared concern for students. “We’re very pleased that through working in a collaborative way with the district we have been able to find solutions that keep teachers in the classroom helping students to learn. It was a team effort,” said Acord. Part of the difference this year was that the District asked those considering retirement to declare their intentions as early as possible. Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Dr. Robert Verdi, said the early notice gave MVUSD a better idea of its actual staffing needs for the coming school year. “In fact, if we lower class size at the elementary level it could put the district into a recruiting mode for the first time in many years,” said Verdi. The district is able to consider reducing class size due to additional funding received under California’s new Local Control Funding Formula. “Academically, we are creating an upward spiral of success at MVUSD, with student achievement rising consistently, year after year,” said Superintendent Dr. Judy D. White. “Avoiding layoffs keeps the focus on supporting student learning, and on our district culture of ‘Excellence on Purpose.’”