In desperate move, schools scrap program

By Emily Richmond

Tuesday, June 17, 2003 | 11:13 a.m.

Sheila Siino is a teacher in search of a classroom.

Not that she doesn't love the one she's had for more than six years, teaching the Gifted and Talented Education program at Cox Elementary School in Henderson. But as of August that job will no longer exist, suspended by the Clark County School District because of the Legislature's failure to finalize education funding for the 2003-04 fiscal year.

"I know the district will find a place for me somewhere, but what a disservice to the students and their families to eliminate GATE," said Siino, who has been at Cox more than 12 years. "Once again, it's the children who will lose out because of the poor decisions made by the adults."

Short nearly 1,000 teachers for the coming school year and unable to hire new employees until lawmakers agree on a budget and tax plan, Clark County School District officials announced Friday that 411 literacy and computer specialists, along with teachers assigned to the Gifted and Talented program, would be reassigned to regular classrooms.

As of this morning, 342 of the teachers had already been reassigned, said George Ann Rice, associate superintendent of human resources for the district.

"We worked through the weekend," Rice said. "We have a lot of hurt people, a lot of disappointed parents and kids, but this is a desperate situation."

In any other year the district would have hired the bulk of its 1,600 new teachers by June 1, Rice said. The legislative delays have left the district with nearly 1,000 vacancies at the worst possible time of the year, Rice said.

The district also needs to place as many teachers as possible by July 1, which is when new federal regulations under the No Child Left Behind Act take effect. Teachers already employed by districts prior to July 1 will have three years to meet the new standards while teachers hired afterward will have to have already completed the requirements.

Some teachers with offers pending have called to say they may not accept a job with the district of lawmakers do not approve a $2,000 signing bonus, Rice said.

The reassignments of the reading and technology specialists will be permanent for the 2003-04 academic year, which begins in August, Rice said.

The district hopes to phase the GATE program back in as soon as possible, said Agustin Orci, deputy superintendent of instruction. Some reshuffling of teachers is typically done after the official "Count Day" in late September, when administrators readjust staff assignments based on enrollment, he said. If the program cannot be reinstated by then, it may be possible by the second semester in January, Orci said.

"We are not abandoning GATE or saying it isn't an important part of what our district offers," Orci said. "What we are saying is that we're facing a crisis that's requiring some hard choices, and this is one of them."

While district officials had hinted such steps might be necessary if the Legislature adjourned its second special session without finalizing school funding, the announcement still came as a shock to many. About 60 GATE teachers gathered Monday at the Clark County Education Association office, demanding answers and asking what steps could be taken to reverse the district mandate.

GATE, offered in grades three through six, costs the district about $7.7 million a year and serves about 6,000 students. Educators and parents say because the program serves a relatively small group of elite students, it is seen as expendable.

"These kids have as much of a need as anyone to the proper educational programs," said district veteran Sue Gurlides, who helped establish Clark County's GATE program nearly 30 years ago. "What's happening here is so incredibly shortsighted; it's very upsetting."

Taylor Trummel, who just completed second grade at Tarr Elementary School, was in tears Monday when her mother told her she may not be able to start GATE in August as expected.

"I felt sad because I was proud to get into GATE," Taylor said. "I like to do research, and study stuff and write stories and poems. You get to do that in GATE."

Some teachers have questioned whether Nevada law requires school districts offer GATE programs. Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, said while both state and federal statutes allow for spending education funding on such programs, there is no requirement.

"It's a shame to see the district get to this point," said Giunchigliani, a former special education teacher in Clark County. "But it sounds like this is the only way they can make sure they have enough teachers to ago around."

Mary Ella Holloway, president of the union representing the majority of the district's teachers, said she understood the frustrations of the specialists.

"It's unfortunate the failure of the Legislature to take action has placed children in jeopardy," Holloway said. "We're going to be taking a closer look at the district's decision and see what our teachers' rights are under the circumstances."

Displaced specialists are supposed to get first crack at openings in their current schools or at nearby campuses. But that won't help Siini, Cox Principal David Price said. The school's literacy specialist was reassigned over the weekend to a third-grade classroom but so far that's been the only opening, Price said.

"We just don't have a lot of turnover, but I'm working as hard as I can to take care our people," Price said. "We have to find something for Sheila. She's an important part of our school community. She organizes our field trips and runs the science fair; we'd be lost without her."

Dennis Kellogg, a 13-year GATE teacher in the district currently assigned to year-round Rhodes Elementary School, showed up at the union office Monday to find out whether he's supposed to be hunting for his own new position or waiting until the district contacts him.

"Do we get to apply for the jobs we want or are they going to put us where they want us anyway?" Kellogg asked. "What I want to know is why the GATE teachers are the sacrificial lambs here. There are plenty of assistant principals floating around. They should put them back in the classroom instead of dismantling an entire program."

Teachers didn't take much comfort from assertions by district officials that they hoped to phase back in the GATE program.

Gurlides said it's unreasonable to expect teachers will be able to change assignments during the school year.

"That would just create turmoil for the kids in the regular classroom," Gurlides said. "I can't believe (the district) will really start switching us around all over again in a few months. No, I think GATE is gone for next year."

Karen Wall, whose son just completed the third grade at Neal Elementary School, said the loss of GATE will be devastating. It's a mistake to view GATE as an uncessary "extra" to the district's basic curriculum, Wall said.

"I understand there are people who view (GATE) as the icing on the cake, so why not just scrape off the icing," Wall said. "The truth is there are children like my son who think differently and process information differently and need the extra stimulation. If you look at what these kids could one day be contributing to society, we have the same obligation to meet their needs as students at the other end of the spectrum."

Clark County School Board President Sheila Moulton, who met with a group of about 30 parents Monday at Katz Elementary School to discuss the reassignments, said this morning she wants the blame for the crisis to rest with the state's lawmakers.

"The Legislature hasn't finished its business but we have no choice except to move forward with ours," Moulton said. "We're going to start school in two months and we can't do that without a teacher for every classroom."