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1. Educational Leader Feedback (ELF) Survey |
PFT Update - May 7, 2024
Dear PFT Members,
PFT has been regularly engaged in Interest Based Problem Solving (IBPS) negotiations with the district to discuss budget solutions, health and welfare, and the contract sections noted on the attached Initial Proposal. Sessions have occurred on February 15, March 4, 12, 25, 27, & 29, April 19 & 29, and May 2. We do not yet have a tentative settlement agreement for 2024-25 but hope to have one soon. Our next sessions are scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, May 8, and Monday, May 13.
Below are some reminders from a previous negotiations update if you are interested in more details on the state & PUSD budget and health & welfare.
Why does PUSD have a budget deficit?
o Decreasing COLA (3.96% to 1.27% to 0.76%)
o Sunsetting of COVID pandemic related one-time funds and Average Daily Attendance (ADA) relief
o Low(er) Attendance Rates across the district
o Increasing Operating Costs
o Unfunded/Underfunded Mandates
o 50 positions, approximately, funded with one-time funds.
These factors, collectively, will result in a multiyear PUSD general fund structural deficit. As a result, the district is seeking 15 million in budget solutions for 2024-25 and plans to draw about 13 million from the reserve account. Additionally, another 10 million is budget solutions are projected to be needed for 2025-26.
Negotiations Update
o PFT has been and will continue to advocate for budget cuts to be made as far from the classroom as possible!
o The results of the PFT bargaining survey will be used to guide further conversations.
o There will be no layoffs for the 2024-25 school year.
o A Supplemental Early Retirement Plan (SERP) will not be offered for the 2023-24 school year.
o Health & Welfare
- PFT has been able to avoid an increase in the cost of the dependent premium coverage for the basic health plans for about 16 years. This is great for PFT members! However, health care costs have regularly increased, and the district has been pursuing greater employee contributions from PFT unit members for many years.
- In the 2018-19 & 2019-20 Settlement Agreement, PFT and PUSD agreed to begin to explore other health and welfare models beginning in the fall of 2019.
- It’s now more than four years later. We are in the 2024 health plan year, and we have not yet reached agreement on a new health and welfare model.
o PSEA is in the second year of implementation of an 80/20 cost sharing model for health and welfare. This means PUSD pays 80% of the dependent premium costs of the basic health care plans, and PSEA members pay 20% of the premium costs for their dependents.
o Per a recent School Board Meeting, management plans to move to the same 80/20 cost sharing model.
- PFT feels this cost sharing model places a very large burden on employees, and we are not in favor of it! We will continue talks about a reasonable health and welfare cost sharing model in our upcoming negotiations sessions.
Read more
PFT Update - March 2024
PUSD Budget (see attachment)
On March 7, 2024, the district presented information on the state and PUSD budgets. Please see the attached slideshow from the school board meeting, which includes initial ideas for possible cuts to the PUSD Budget for the 2024-25 school year.
Why does PUSD have a budget deficit?
· Decreasing COLA (3.96% to 1.27% to 0.76%)
· Sunsetting of COVID pandemic related one-time funds and Average Daily Attendance (ADA) relief
· Low(er) Attendance Rates across the district
· Increasing Operating Costs
· Unfunded/Underfunded Mandates
· 50 positions, approximately, funded with one-time funds.
These factors, collectively, will result in a multiyear PUSD general fund structural deficit.
