Job losses at NEISD could be less than expected

In a letter to all North East ISD employees earlier this month, Dr. Richard Middleton announced the reduction in staff due to the current budget crisis may not be as severe as originally anticipated.  “The number of positions lost to cuts will likely be lower due to many positions being eliminated through retirements and attrition,” he writes.

A reduction in force (RIF) is one of several measures the financially-strapped school district will begin implementing this fall in an attempt to shave $42 million from the budget over the next three years.   The school board’s decision to replace the high schools’ A/B schedule with a traditional seven-period day in the fall is expected to eliminate roughly 122 teaching positions alone and save $6.5 million. 

The district is hoping to slash the 2010-11 budget by a total of $12 million and additional job cuts are anticipated within the counseling, administrative, special education and bilingual departments at elementary, middle and high school levels.  Support staff will also be reduced and salaries will be frozen next year. 

NEISD employees interested in retiring at the end of this school year were allowed to apply for a $1,000 Early Notification Incentive.  The deadline was Friday.  A proposed RIF list is expected to be developed shortly and forwarded to the Board of Trustees for review on March 1.  Affected employees will be notified throughout that month and given the opportunity to apply for vacant positions within the district.  A final RIF list will be submitted for approval by the Board of Trustees April 12. 

“I, in no way, take the effects of these potential cuts lightly,” Middleton continues. “I have long been an advocate of the programs that drive student success and worked to increase teacher salaries to attract the very best to our district. We must, however, plan for the financial stability and future of this school district.”

A Target Revenue system implemented in 2006 by the Texas Legislature has had a crippling effect, essentially freezing the revenue NEISD receives per student.  “We no longer benefit from appraisal growth within the district. This has greatly restricted our ability to continue business as usual,” Middleton writes.  “We are facing tough decisions unparalleled in my 20 years as a superintendent.”