The “School District Empowerment Program,” SB834, if passed and signed by the governor, would mandate that a school district which has a school identified for improvement by the State Board of Education would become a charter school district in the 2009-2010 school year. (And in 2010, the State Board will randomly select twenty percent of other districts to participate, and for the next four years continue to randomly select, making every Oklahoma school district a charter school district.)
Supporters of SB 834 claim that turning current school districts into charter school districts will result in savings for the district and those savings will be passed on to school employees. What else could teachers expect to be passed on?
These are common Charter School practices that would be enabled if this bill becomes law:
No Teacher Due Process Act protection. In essence, teachers are at-will employees.
No Collective Bargaining.
Salaries could be reduced to the state minimum salary schedule.
No class size requirements.
No planning periods.
Teacher certification not required.
No Library or Counseling requirements.
Evaluation procedures determined by administration, not through collective bargaining.
Work days extended.
No seniority.
No negotiated transfer policies.
No grievance procedure.
SB 834 is this year’s end-all deregulation bill. It threatens your local teachers association’s right to negotiate a contract and would eventually deregulate all Oklahoma Public Schools.
The bill is now in the House of Representatives and you can contact your representative in the House at 405-521-2711. You can also call Governor Brad Henry’s office at 405-521-2342
SB 834 Passes Oklahoma Senate
The “School District Empowerment Program,” SB834, if passed and signed by the governor, would mandate that a school district which has a school identified for improvement by the State Board of Education would become a charter school district in the 2009-2010 school year. (And in 2010, the State Board will randomly select twenty percent of other districts to participate, and for the next four years continue to randomly select, making every Oklahoma school district a charter school district.)
Supporters of SB 834 claim that turning current school districts into charter school districts will result in savings for the district and those savings will be passed on to school employees. What else could teachers expect to be passed on?
These are common Charter School practices that would be enabled if this bill becomes law:
No Teacher Due Process Act protection. In essence, teachers are at-will employees.
No Collective Bargaining.
Salaries could be reduced to the state minimum salary schedule.
No class size requirements.
No planning periods.
Teacher certification not required.
No Library or Counseling requirements.
Evaluation procedures determined by administration, not through collective bargaining.
Work days extended.
No seniority.
No negotiated transfer policies.
No grievance procedure.
SB 834 is this year’s end-all deregulation bill. It threatens your local teachers association’s right to negotiate a contract and would eventually deregulate all Oklahoma Public Schools.
The bill is now in the House of Representatives and you can contact your representative in the House at 405-521-2711. You can also call Governor Brad Henry’s office at 405-521-2342