New Contract Means Shorter School Year

SHANNON LI
News Editor
This year, students would have been released from school on Wednesday, Jun. 15. However, due to a new contract agreement between the Alhambra Teachers Association (ATA) and Alhambra Unified School District (AUSD), the ‘10-11 school year will end on Friday, Jun. 10.
“In a sense, it’s better because summer starts sooner and there’s more rest,” said freshman Brian Au.
In exchange, teachers’ salaries will remain the same. As part of the reason for the truncated school year, teachers will not receive furlough days—unpaid workdays—reductions in salary, changes in health benefits, or layoffs in the spring of 2011.
ATA members are not receiving cuts because of additional funding from the $26 billion federal job bill.
From Jun. 13-15, teachers will still be on campus and will take part in professional development, in order to exchange curriculum ideas and strategies. They will still be paid their usual salary, with the funds earmarked for professional development.
“Teachers have open discussions on strategies: what works and what doesn’t,” said Algebra and Informal Geometry teacher Simon Cho.
Since the professional development fund is to be used, there will be money saved from AUSD’s general fund, which is normally the source of teachers’ salaries.
“Even [though everyone is] trying to promote education for [us], what’s the point if they cut corners and don’t provide the time to learn?” said junior Elaine Lo. “It’s sending mixed messages.”