South Bend teachers facing large cut-backs

SOUTH BEND -- As many as 380 South Bend teachers -- about one-fourth of the staff -- will be notified that their jobs might be eliminated, the superintendent said.\nAlso, at least 10 central administrators will be notified by the end of next week that their jobs might be eliminated, South Bend schools Superintendent Joan Raymond said Friday.\nThe reduction in force -- or RIF -- is the largest in Raymond's five years leading the corporation.\n"These RIF notifications are wide and deep," Raymond told the South Bend Tribune for a Saturday story. "I think it is highly regrettable we need to issue such a large number of these notifications. I am keenly aware of the upset and worry it will cause the teachers who receive them."\nWith about 1,500 teachers in the school corporation, up to 25 percent of staff members could lose their jobs, but that would not be likely, she said.\n"Obviously, we will not end up reducing the staff to that degree," Raymond said. "I don't believe there will be more than 50 or 60 positions cut."\nA RIF is notification that a position might be eliminated; it is not a pink slip indicating a job has been lost. State law dictates school corporations must make teachers aware of possible staff reductions by May 1 of each year.\nSchool Board president Marcia Hummel said she knows this is a difficult time for teachers.\n"I have such a great respect for teachers," Hummel said. "They have been working hard. I'm sure this is a tremendous burden on them. I can't even imagine. These are good people, good teachers."\nThree years ago, when Raymond reorganized the district, 314 RIF notifications were sent and 69 teacher contracts were canceled. All were eventually absorbed back into the corporation through attrition and job shuffling, Raymond said.\nCarolyn Peterson, president of the National Education Association-South Bend, said the union expected a large number of RIF notices.\n"The South Bend school corporation has historically sent out more RIF letters than will actually occur," Peterson said. "We expect that once the scheduling process is complete, many of these RIFs will not actually happen."\nThe large number of RIF notifications provide flexibility for school trustees when it comes to making 2005 and 2006 budget cuts. The board is facing as much as $4.5 million in cuts for the remainder of 2005 and $3.8 million in 2006.\nSchool corporations across the state have sent out similar notices partly because they are in monetary limbo until the Indiana General Assembly approves its state budget and decides whether to distribute tuition payments the schools already expected.