Union and district debate RIF rules and bumping rights; district cites Radakovich case

District negotiators proposed changing the reduction‑in‑force (RIF) structure from separate elementary/high‑school buckets to a single K–12 seniority pool so that the most senior certified teacher would be last bumped.

Andy explained the proposal and cited arbitration precedent, saying it would avoid technicalities that can lead to inconsistent outcomes in bumping. He summarized the Radakovich arbitration as background and argued the district’s change would align bumping with certification and seniority rather than grade‑level buckets.

Union representatives pressed for clarity about how bumping would work when teachers hold multiple certifications (for example, a high‑school teacher also certified for elementary). They emphasized the statutory protections for tenured teachers and the need to show valid financial or workload reasons before laying off staff. One union representative said the law requires special protections for tenured teachers and asked that any RIF proposal include the evidentiary criteria supervisors must meet.

The parties discussed potential language to define seniority, how certifications interact with bumping rights, and whether the union’s definition of continuous service (CU) should govern eligibility. The district said it would draft a revised RIF clause and run it by the board attorney and union counsel; union negotiators said they will prepare a proposed seniority definition to exchange before the next meeting.

Next steps: district to circulate a draft RIF clause; union to propose seniority clarifier and examples of bump scenarios for review.