SUPT DEASY TO ASK BOARD TO RESTORE ALL FURLOUGH DAYS & LOST WEEK OF INSTRUCTION

By Tami Abdollah | KPCC Pass/Fail | 89.3 | http://bit.ly/SRjFPg

November 9th, 2012, 9:14am  ::  After the passage of Prop. 30, Superintendent John Deasy will ask the L.A. Unified school board Tuesday to restore all furlough days and the week of instruction cut from this school year.

Now that Proposition 30 has passed, Superintendent John Deasy will ask the L.A. Unified school board Tuesday to erase teacher furlough days and restore the week of instruction that had been cut from this school year.

During the summer, the district's unions agreed to take 10 furlough days to save millions in payroll costs and to save jobs. According to the agreement, teachers lost five days of instruction, one of two pupil-free days used for professional development, and four paid non-work days, district officials said.

"With their strong support of Proposition 30, the voters of Los Angeles County made it clear they want the LAUSD to do what's best for our youth. Restoring the full calendar and keeping our employees in the schools is a pivotal step in this effort," Deasy said in a statement released Friday.

If Prop. 30 had not passed, Deasy warned that students could have lost up to three more weeks of school. The district would have faced $255 million in cuts to this academic year.

"The voters of this state literally saved us from an educational calamity," Deasy said.

The current academic calendar will remain in place and any changes will be added to second semester, according to the statement. Parents will be notified about changes to the calendar after Tuesday's meeting