Teachers Union, School District Point Fingers Over School Funding

January 20, 2010

The Orange County School District is the largest district in Central Florida, and this year is operating on a budget slashed by approximately $40 million dollars from the year before.  Still, as astounding as it might sound, the district’s teachers union , has not signed-off on an application for money available through the federal Race to the Top Fund . Only five unions in the state have done so.

Even though it’s a federal program, Union President Mike Cahill blames the state for delays. "The problem comes in when you get to the state, and they put in what’s called an MOU,"  says Cahill.

Each state is required to attach the MOU, or Memorandum Of Understanding, with its unions in order to apply for the funding.
Cahill says Tallahassee’s is simply presenting too many obstacles, such as a proposal for a longer school day and teacher advancements tied to student performance.

Among other things, he says the suggestion to lengthen the school day is a problem, because teachers already aren’t getting paid what they should for their services.  Teacher evaluations and advancements directly tied to student performance is something Cahill sees as an even bigger problem.

"There a re too many variables, especially with ESE (Exceptional Student Education) students. What happens if you have somebody who is severely disabled, and that teacher has worked so hard just to get that student to eat for the very first time?" asks Cahill.  "Then you compare that teacher to someone dealing with another student taking FCAT (The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test) and higher -evel income and no disability. They don’t know how to evaluate a true teacher."

But Orange County’s School Board says Cahill is jumping the gun. They say the particulars of the MOU can be worked on, but the district had to meet a federal deadline to qualify.

"This was, ‘if you don’t sign on, you lose a chance to get any money,’" explains Orange County School Board Chairperson Joie Cadle, adding that the money would make "a tremendous difference for everything."

FOX 35’s Tracy Jacim asked Orange County Teachers’ Union President Mike Cahill, "Are you going to be able to sleep at night if Orange County does not get the money?" Cahill responded, "If so, yes. But I’ll tell you what, I probably would not have been able to sleep if we signed off on it, with all the regulations and restrictions and what it would do to the teaching profession in Orange County."

The federal government will decide which states will receivethe money in April. The State of Florida stands to get $700 million, of which Orange County will receive $22 million.