Thursday, May 19, 2011

Major cuts to central office announced

From the PG:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11139/1147648-53.stm

- The article mentions cutting office workers jobs and possible future teacher layoffs, but does not specify managerial cuts.

7 comments:

Questioner said...

Here is a link to the Agenda Review that was made available prior to today's meeting:

http://php.pghboe.net/news/index.php/2011/05/17/may-18-2011-agenda-review-materials/

Can anyone find any mention of central office reductions on the agenda? If not- shouldn't the Agenda Review reveal what is on the agenda for the evening's meeting?

Questioner said...

Mark Roosevelt apparently claimed that HE trimmed central office staff:

"Ten months into that job, Roosevelt trimmed eighty-five administrators from the central office and negotiated a new contract with the teacher’s union, according to news reports."

http://antiochcollege.org/the_antiochian/winter_2011/features/introducing_mr_roosevelt/

Anonymous said...

I have been told that some school administrators are being put back into the classroom.

Anonymous said...

A 2010 analysis by the Allegheny Institute found that the number of administrative positions in Pittsburgh Public Schools grew from 572 to 934 between 2000 and 2009.

Hazuda said she's heard the complaints about the district being "top heavy" but believes the additions were necessary to carry out new initiatives.



Read more: Furlough of Pittsburgh teachers expected - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/education/s_737887.html#ixzz1MnRfAL3m

Questioner said...

Here is a link to the Allegheny Institute study:

http://www.alleghenyinstitute.org/component/content/article/484.html

Anonymous said...

At last night's agenda review there was a discussion about computers for Westinghouse which are to be paid for by a grant. The EFA TV show this month featured a segment on the capabilities of the equipment at CAPA and Sci-Tech that allow the kids to explore digitial media design. Ms. Shealy very diplomatically pointed out the disparity of available technology in our schools.

Apparently another fight un-fought by parents. What is the industry standard? What is the latest? If Brashear is the COMPUTER MAGNET as Ms. Hazuda reminded viewers during the meeting, why doesn't the school have the best available? What is age of the oldest and newest pieces of equipment?

Anonymous said...

The article states "The central office employs some 270 administrative workers, including assessment, technology and marketing staff. It wasn't immediately known how many positions would be eliminated". That 270 does not include the myriad of consultants employed by the district, nor administrative staff based in schools. That might be the 934 number in the Allegeheny report.

The enrollment of PPS is around 26K. Is it necessary to have 1 cenrtal office staff for roughly every 100 kids? Is it necessary to have 934 administrative staff for 26K kids?

It seems excessively excessive.