When Per Pupil Funding Is Inadequate- Student Safety is Compromised

Source: April 22, 2015 Board of Trustees Meeting Agenda Item #5 RESOLUTION NO. 1415-42, CLASSIFIED LAYOFF NON-MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES:
http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com/file/1229223560406/1218998864154/4316232143675230130.pdf

A must listen to Board Audio at 2 hours 26 minutes through 2 hours 42 minutes
http://cusd.capousd.org/cusdweb/boardaudio/4-22-15/04-22-15RegBdMtg.mp3

OF NOTE: There is no Exhibit “5” included in the Board Agenda Documentation.

On the surface this agenda item is about giving 60 day statutory notice to classified employees who’s positions are being eliminated.

In reality this agenda item exposes a lack of compliance with Ed Code. Ed Code requires that all students must be supervised in classrooms by certificated teachers. Students can be supervised by non-certificated employees in the yard, but in classrooms they must be supervised by certificated teachers.

Unique to Capistrano Unified School District, students who are pulled from classrooms for disciplinary, or other reasons, are essentially being warehoused in a classroom under the supervision of a non-certificated employee who does not have the credentials to “instruct” students. Depending on how often a student is pulled from their regular class, some students may not be receiving adequate “instructional time”. In addition to disciplinary ejections, special education students who may be disruptive to classrooms with large number of students may also be pulled from classrooms depriving them of adequate instructional time.

To bring CUSD practices in line with the law, these classified employees are being given a 60 day notice and the District is conducting a study to see how these services (which are needed at every school) can now be delivered in accordance with the law.

Superintendent Vital states that this is a practice that is unique to CUSD, and is probably the result of $150 million in budget cuts since 2006.

Opportunity Assistant - Job Description can be found at the following link: http://cusdjobs-capousd-ca.schoolloop.com/file/1252868938412/1235193542262/9030881236444518036.pdf

The following three speakers described the daily duties of an “Opportunity Assistant”

Sue Mindes - Newheart Middle School (Supervisor CSI) Opportunity Assistant- Classified employee who sits with students who have been pulled from classes.

• Escort students to and from class and the office.
• Supervise 2 lunch detentions and after school detention.
• Morning Break and afternoon supervision.
• Walk campus to make sure school is safe.
• Enter all referrals from teachers into Aries.
• Call parents.
• Get class work from teachers and make sure work is turned back into teachers at the end of the day.

Michelle Eppler - Campus Support Services Don Juan Avila. Ms Eppler serves as a supervisor for the Center for Special Instruction (CSI program).

Students come to class with no shoes for PE so they want to skip PE (we buy them shoes).
Students come to school with no lunch - we buy them lunch.
Special Ed kids are disruptive. They deprive other students of an opportunity to learn. When a Teacher has so may students that they cannot provide the attention needed for special kids, we pull them and help them with their work.

Rhonda Whalen, CSEA Union President - Opportunity Assistants provide very important and necessary services to struggling students.

Opportunity Assistants make about $35,000 per year total pay and benefits. Certificated Teachers make $108,00 per year total pay and benefits.