02/16/2015
TRENTON PLANS TO ELIMINATE 93% OF CST POSITIONS
Dear New Jersey Association of Learning Consultants,
Your NJALC Executive Board was recently informed that the Trenton Board of Education (BOE) was planning to reduce or eliminate (RIF) 13 of the 14 Child Study Teams (about 40 positions), 10 -12 Speech/Language Specialists and other Related Service providers, and about 300 other positions.
Such a massive reduction in essential staff and the proposed privatization of CST services is contrary to our mission to "advocate for all children to realize their full potential" and "promote educational services as provided by NJALC for children and families." District employed learning consultants deliver educational diagnostic, program recommendation, and case management to all school staff and services with an understanding of the unique characteristics of each school and community. Decreasing the availability of comprehensive services not only seriously hurts children but also impacts the parents, teachers, administrators, and other school professionals who rely on their school's Child Study Team to be readily available and well informed on district programs and family needs. As an advocate to promote what services and programs are appropriate for children with disabilities to work to their full potential, a privatized practitioner will have a conflict of interest in being able to advocate for a child and their family.
This information is being shared in the interests of alerting our members to serious concerns which impact the welfare of our children and our members. This is only a brief outline of the many hours of negotiation and consultation which your Executive Board has undertaken, and is continuing to pursue. We will persist in these efforts as long as is necessary and we will continue to update you with further developments.
So far, the NJALC Executive Board:
• Consulted with the Trenton school psychologist as to what specific assistance was being sought, and what would be best from their point of view, specifically the nature of coordination with the Trenton Education Association (TEA) and with parent and community groups.
• Extended an invitation to NJALC members to call and or contact Trenton BOE members, NJ BOE members, and our local politicians expressing our concern with privatizing such critical staff members to our special needs population and the past history of how this has failed in the recent past in two NJ school districts. Contact information is attached.
• Alerted the other CST state associations, called CoCST. We have two NJALC who are members of this group.
• Contacted other organizations including NJEA and advocacy organizations (legal and parent-oriented).
• Ongoing dialogues with the other groups in NJ on what is feasible and how to push for more.
• An NJALC executive board member will attend and is registered to speak at Feb 23 Trenton BOE meeting.
There is a broad and intensive effort to mobilize all these avenues in Trenton in order to better serve the interests of the community.
What you can do:
- Share your concerns with respect to similar situations in which you're involved or are aware of contact info is attached - please act!
- Stay tuned for further updates via email blasts.
- Visit www.NJALC.org for updates concerning how you can advocate for your Trenton colleagues and in doing so, for all CST members in New Jersey.
Below is the list of the Trenton Education Association (certificated staff only) positions below that have been reduced from next year’s budget:
* 47 Child Study Team Members (LDTCs, Social Workers, Psychologists, Speech Pathologists)
* 22 Specialist Teachers (PE, Art, Music)
* 17 General Education Classroom Teachers
* 16 Special Education Teachers
* 15 ISS Teachers (Disciplinarians)
* 4 Intervention Teachers
* 1 Nurse
* 1 Media Specialist
* 1 School Social Worker
They will add - 11 Elementary World Language Specialist Teachers
