Today, the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) issued excess notices to 333 Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) members, Chancellor Kaya Henderson announced. Excessing is a normal staff realignment process that occurs each year when schools make changes to their academic program, when budgets change, or when schools are closed or restructured.
Through this process, employees lose their positions at schools, but not necessarily their jobs, as excessed employees can apply for open positions at other schools where budgets have increased or where programmatic changes require their expertise. Based on historical patterns, DCPS expects more than 60% of excessed WTU members to find placements at other schools.
“It’s never easy to hear that you will not be able to continue in your current position for next school year,” said Chancellor Henderson. “But the excessing process is essential as it helps us ensure that all of our staff are located where they are needed for the coming school year.”
To help the affected WTU members find other placements, DCPS is holding a series of transfer fairs throughout the spring. The school system also has a dedicated team of staffing specialists who will work with employees and principals to make good matches for next school year
Excessed employees have until August 15 to find a placement for next school year. After that point, all unplaced excessed employees with Effective or Highly Effective ratings will have access to two options under their union contract: a $25,000 buyout or a “grace year,” during which they will be placed at a DCPS school. Probationary WTU members, and those with less than satisfactory performance ratings, will be subject to separation on August 20.
Last spring, a total of 384 WTU members were excessed; in 2010, 373 were excessed; and in 2009, 427 were excessed.
“We recognize that the excessing process can be unsettling for our teachers, which is why we are doing everything we can to help affected employees find good matches for next school year,” said Jason Kamras, chief of the DCPS Office of Human Capital. “DCPS is also working with its union partners to provide as much information as possible about displaced employees to help facilitate the placement process.
Contact: Melissa Salmanowitz | 202-535-1096