FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ/KFSN) — Carrying signs and filled with emotion and determination, dozens of Fresno Unified School District teachers descended on the School District building to have their voices heard over a decision to end the Designated Schools Program.
The Fresno Teacher Association said the district did not get input from educators or the community on the decision.
“This is, again, a violation of our trust. We had a three-year agreement, and in the middle of that, using a legal process to try to unilaterally make that decision,” said Manuel Bonilla, FTA President. “Again, that doesn’t feel right, that doesn’t feel like Fresno Unified family.”
Interim Superintendent Misty Her said the union was aware.
“We’ve had multiple conversations with FTA, and even the prior superintendent before me had multiple conversations regarding the decision around designated schools,” said Her.
The Designated School Program was launched in 2014 to boost student achievement by adding 30 minutes per day for students with their teacher and an extra 10 planning days. Teachers get paid for that additional time.
Educators in the district said that extra time is critical.
“We just have so much that is asked of us as teachers to cram in for curriculum and different instruction. That extra 30 minutes really just gives us a little bit of flexibility and more time to really to hone in on what our students are struggling with,” said Drew Colburn, Wilson Elementary Teacher.
However, Her said the program did not achieve the expected academic gains. Among other reasons, they decided to cut the program after the 2024 – 2025 school year.
“There were schools that had good data, there were schools that didn’t,” said Her. ” Overall, the data was mixed and the data was not consistent year after year, so that was one of the things we looked at. One of the other considerations was were are in declining enrollment.”
Her said that declining enrollment means less funding.
The FTA said cutting this program will lead to a 12% pay cut for nearly 40% of district teachers, which they said at minimum is more than $650 per month.
“You ask anybody that’s watching and see, could I take that much of a pay cut,” said Bonilla.
“You’d have to find a new place to live, get a different car, decide are the kids going to sports,” said Colburn. “Are we buying groceries? What are we doing?”
Her said they are countering that salary reduction by offering teachers a 4.5% raise, with an additional half a percent the next two school years in their last, best, and final offer.
Our news partner ABC 30 Action News Reporter Kate Nemarich pressed Her on the nearly 7% pay discrepancy that leaves.
“There’s a huge difference between 5% and 12%,” said Nemarich.
“But they’re not doing the work anymore,” said Her.
Her said the money that was spent on Designated Schools will be used on other programs.
Fresno Unified provided this data on Designated Schools.
