DEARBORN — The Dearborn Public Schools Board of Education
voted in favor of a plan including 48 teacher layoffs on Monday night from
several schools and grades as it prepares to submit a balanced budget by its
next meeting on Monday, June 27.

Dearborn Schools Superintendent Brian Whiston and School Board President James Schoolmaster participate in a discussion at Monday night’s meeting.

The layoffs were made in accordance with seniority rules
because of the DPS’ collective bargaining agreement with the Detroit Federation
of Teachers. Two support personnel were also included bringing the total number
of layoffs to 50. The final budget is expected to be passed at the next
meeting.

Bilingual department teachers were specifically hit hard
with 11 losses approved, although re-hirings could occur.

Each year, many teachers that are laid off at the end of the
school year are re-hired as the district assesses its funding for the year and
takes into account things such as retirement, teachers leaving the district,
additional students entering the district, others going on medical leave and
more.

This year, with the state of Michigan’s budget decided
earlier than usual, the district said they have a better idea of where they
stand, however, according to DPS Communications Director David Mustonen, a loss
of about $7 million in categorical funding was expected.

“The good news is that the state really pushed hard and
passed the budget early, but the bad news is that the numbers are not what we
would like them to be,” he said.

“We understand that the money is just not there and the
same resources are just not available; we’re troubled by the fact that we’re
losing some major funding, categorical funds we used to receive, and that’s
going to impact us.”

Trustee Mary Lane said the decision was a difficult one at
the meeting.

“I hate having to do it,” she said. “I’m
disheartened to see class sizes of 34. I taught in Third World countries and I
never thought we would see this in the United States…it’s shocking but
someday we will get back.”

Last year, the district originally laid off more than 100
teachers and most of them were brought back according to Mustonen. But this
year could be a different story.

“Our hope is that we would be able to bring back as
many teachers as possible; we always hope so, that’s what we try to do, but at
this time we just don’t know.”

He said that the bilingual teachers’ positions could well be
shuffled around and that it was the teachers themselves who were targeted for
cuts because of their lack of seniority, not necessarily their positions.

The district still has a chance to qualify for about $2 million
in extra funds if it is able to meet demands to live up to Governor Rick
Snyder’s “best practices.”

According to Mustonen, the money would likely go towards the
staff, which took pay cuts of between 3-4% for this year and another similar,
slightly higher cut next year. 
That would allow them to gain back another 1% or so of their reduced
salaries, he said.

Trustee Aimee Blackburn lamented the losses and the
challenges thrust upon the district.

“We don’t have as much local control as we used to
now,” she said. “We’ve been hit on all fronts, probably more than any
other district.”