SIMI VALLEY : Grievances Filed Over Class Crowding

Protesting 58 crowded classes in district junior high and high schools, Simi Valley teachers union officials have filed grievances on behalf of teachers at Royal and Simi Valley high schools and predicted that more could follow.

Most of the crowding is in math and social science classes, according to a tally released Monday night by district officials, who said 58 academic classes have more than 36 students each.

“I wouldn’t discount the possibility of more grievances at the junior high schools,” said Bill Davenport, president of the Simi Educators Assn., adding that the union has 10 days after the release of the report to file additional grievances.

The teachers’ contract calls for the district to “make every reasonable effort” to keep academic classes under 36 students and for the district to report the number of large classes and to document its efforts to reduce class size. The grievances have been rejected by the district.

Associate Supt. Allan W. Jacobs said Tuesday that the school district does not have money to hire additional teachers without making cuts in other areas. He said he expects that most of the classes will have fewer than 36 students in the spring, the result of students graduating at midterm or transferring to other schools.

The outcome of 14 earlier grievances, addressing issues such as class size and department head pay is expected to be decided by an arbitrator later this month.

In an unrelated matter, Associate Supt. Cathi Vogel, acting as interim superintendent, suggested that board members consider hiring a lobbyist for $18,000 a year to help them obtain money to pay for transition to a middle school format. In February, board members approved the $454,000 plan in concept, but delayed the move due to a tight budget. The plan would create kindergarten- through fifth-grade elementary schools, sixth- through eighth-grade middle schools and ninth- through 12th-grade high schools. Board members postponed making a decision.