School Board Preview: Union Contract, Attendance and Facility Fees

The Poway Unified School District board is set to meet at 6 p.m. Monday at the district office, 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego.

On the agenda (attached and available at powayusd.com):

• Employee contract: A new contract with the Poway School Employees Association (PSEA) is up for final approval. The new contract was initially approved by the district in June, and has since been ratified by union members. The one-year agreement, which is projected to save the district $1.1 million for the current fiscal year, cuts union member pay by 4 percent in conjunction with eight "rollback" days. PSEA includes classified employees such as office workers.
• 2010-11 attendance rates: (Information item) Staff will discuss attendance rates for the past school year, which show an overall absence rate of 3.15 percent for the district. The schools with the highest absence rates (by level) are Turtleback Elementary, Twin Peaks Middle and Mt. Carmel High. The lowest: Deer Canyon Elementary, Mesa Verde Middle and Westview High. Attendance rates affect the district's state funding.
• Alternative School Facility Fees: The board will be asked to approve another year of residential development fees to help cover the costs of housing additional students. The fees were last approved a year ago and expire at the end of this month. Monday's meeting includes a required public hearing on the proposed fees of ranging from $3.48 per square foot to $6.97 per square foot.