Reassignments will affect dozens of OKC teachers

Staff Writer twillert@oklahoman.com

More than 40 schools in the Oklahoma City district will be affected by pending teacher transfers, officials said Wednesday.

An undisclosed number of teachers are being reassigned because of lower-than-projected enrollments.

As of Tuesday, 38,800 students were enrolled in the district — about 1,100 fewer than the number of students enrolled on the same date last year, officials said.

In all, 42 schools — 32 elementary and 10 secondary— will be affected by the transfers.

Teachers at 20 elementary schools will move to other campuses while 12 schools will gain at least one teacher. Teachers at five elementary schools, meanwhile, will move to other schools and five schools will gain at least one teacher, according to information provided by Oklahoma City Public Schools.

Parents have also expressed concerns over growing class sizes. The reassignments could mean classrooms could be combined or split between students in different grades.

School board member Mark Mann said one school in his district — Edgemere Elementary — stands to lose a teaching position because of a revised staffing formula based on budget cuts.

“It’s not a good situation for kids. I don’t blame parents for being upset,” Mann said Wednesday. “I share their concern. I’m not happy with it, but at the same time the budget realities and the money we have to work with is so constraining that this is a necessity. We don’t have a choice.”

Beth Harrison, the district’s communications director, declined to say how many teachers would be reassigned or name the schools until final placements are made.

Seniority helps determine moves

On Monday, district leaders met with principals to finalize a plan for schools “where current enrollment numbers dictate a shift in staffing,” she said.

Teachers were still being notified late Wednesday, Harrison said, adding that seniority will determine where teachers will be transferred and what subject they will teach in accordance with the district’s collective bargaining agreement.

“Once identified, each teacher is given several days to review a list of existing vacancies to select their top three preferences for which they are certified,” she said. “In past rebalancing processes, our team has been able to place nearly all teachers in a preferred position.”

Teachers are expected to begin their new assignments when students return from fall break on Oct. 23, Harrison said.

The timing will “allow for a thoughtful placement process and provide our teachers time to wrap up work at their current location,” she said.

Oklahoma City Superintendent Aurora Lora has said no teachers are facing layoffs.

“It is important to note that no employees will lose their jobs as a result of this rebalancing process,” she said Friday. “This process is a way that OKCPS ensures that we are using our resources wisely, and it ensures that no classroom is significantly above or below our planned teacher ratios.”

Harrison said district leaders are considering several factors when reassigning teachers.

“Once there are teachers and students in classrooms, we consider individual school and teacher factors when making a determination about whether a school can combine classes and maintain positive learning environments for their students,” she said.