E.V. districts rehiring laid-off teachers

Jeremy Jones admits he did give thought to leaving education.

But the former Mesa social studies teacher who once shaved his head in an effort to help raise funds for an ailing student said he quickly realized, "that's exactly what I don't want to do."

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Jones was one of 205 Mesa Unified School District teachers who received a "reduction in force" notice in April. The district - faced with declining enrollment and likely budget cuts from the state - had to notify teachers by April 15 if they would not have a contract for the upcoming school year.

Thousands of Arizona teachers received similar notices from school districts in April. All of the East Valley districts who gave out notices, including Mesa Unified, have been calling back many of those teachers, offering them jobs for next school year.

So far, Jones is not one of them. Mesa teachers will be rehired just as they were let go - based on seniority and demand for the type of classes they teach.

The district's decision to offer full-day kindergarten created about 40 jobs, said Janice Ramirez, assistant superintendent for human resources. Resignations and retirements have led to further callbacks.

As of this week, 173 from that original list now have contracts with Mesa Unified. The remaining 32 include elementary, art, physical education, dance and social studies teachers, Ramirez said.

The laid-off teachers were told they would be put on a priority list for substitute teaching.

Jones, speaking by phone while in New Mexico for a family event, said he plans to substitute and possibly go back to school to be recertified in special education.

"You have three years that you can get recalled," Jones said. "I figure next year there will be a lot of retirees, so if I don't get hired back this year, I'll get a chance next year."

Jones said he knows other teachers who have left the state for jobs, but for him, that's not an option.

"It was kind of tempting, but I can't get over the weather" in Arizona, Jones said. "I want to stay in Mesa and wait it out."

Jones, who was in his second year of teaching for Mesa Unified, is not the only one waiting for a call.

The Gilbert Unified School District gave out more than 270 notices to first-year teachers in April. Altogether, the district lost 429 positions because of resignations and teachers whose jobs were cut. As of this week, the district has hired back 191 certified employees, including teachers, school psychologists, speech pathologists and special education teachers.

In the Apache Junction Unified School District, all 33 teachers who received notices have now been offered contracts.

The Queen Creek Unified School District has rehired 20 of the original 23 teachers who received layoff notices. Two teachers have since moved, leaving only one not placed as of two weeks ago.

The Higley Unified School District, which originally cut 48 positions, has rehired all but six teachers.

The Chandler Unified School District did not cut back its teaching staff.

Arizona's 220 school districts still have no firm budget numbers for the 2009-10 school year. On July 1, legislators approved a state budget, but Gov. Jan Brewer did a line-item veto on the public education piece that same day. She said lawmakers cut too much from education.

Brewer has called legislators back for a special session Monday to rework several budget items. School districts and charter schools are scheduled to receive a state aid payment on July 15, but that may be in jeopardy if lawmakers don't have a public education budget approved by then.

The public education budget vetoed by Brewer included more than $274 million in reductions of state aid to school districts and charter schools.

Kindergarten-through-12th-grade education in Arizona makes up about 42 percent of the state's budget.

School districts are working with a best-guess of what their budgets may be. In Mesa Unified, contracts given to staff in the spring included a pay freeze, but also language that salaries may be reduced depending on the district's final budget.