Link to ROWD: Purpose/Conclusion: To document response from Dan Dizon, Director of Human Resources Operations regarding the Seattle Teacher Residency Program as reported in Hotline H-13-415. Hi Dan, Thank you for taking the time to meet with us yesterday. Per our conversation, you requested a list of my questions so that you can have more time to prepare appropriately.

1. Page six of the MOA states that SPS will “Provide a contingency teaching contract to all satisfactorily performing Residents (subject to SPS hiring process approval). SPS will submit a separate document to its Board of Directors asking permission to give out contingency contracts to STR Residents accepted into the Program. SPS has final decision making authority for all SPS staff assignments and evaluations.” -Could you clarify what the District is providing to the Resident who receives a “contingent teaching contract”? Could we get a copy this contingent contract? The Seattle Teacher Residents have not received a contingency contract at this time. (From our conversation, you stated that the Residents will need to apply and go through the same interviewing and hiring process as other employees. If this is the case, the Superintendent will make the final hiring choice, the School Board will have to approve the decision through the monthly personnel report before the contract is made. This brings up the question of what is a contingent teaching contract and what is the Resident entitled to when they are offered a contingent teaching contract (Since completing the Residency program does not remove any step of the hiring process and they will have to go through the normal hiring process to gain employment with the District)? That is correct; the School Board will have to approve the decision through the monthly personnel report before the contract is made. Contingent offer of employment is contingent on the following: 1. Obtaining a valid Washington State Teaching or ESA Certificate, with appropriate

endorsements; 2. Obtaining and passing a comprehensive background check; 3. Completing and submitting a formal online application; and 4. Passing reference checks. 5. School Board Approval for hire Also, if these are not contracts to teach at the District at a later date, why did the District need seek permission from the Board to give out these contingent contracts (if these contracts are not employment contracts with the District)? What is the District asking the Board to approve?

The long term goal is to have School Board promise a job 18 months in advance. Since this was the first cohort, it was important to inform the Board we would be offering contingency contracts for Seattle Teacher Residents. That being said, even early offers must be approved by the board via the personnel action report before offer is complete. -Also, it seems out of order to me that the District signed the MOA in May 2013, in which it states it will provide contingent teaching contracts before it actually received approval from the Board to do so (the District received approval from the School Board to grant the Superintendent permission to offer contingent teaching contracts on Sept 2014). Could you explain why the District didn’t asked for approval before they signed the MOA and if this violates any Board policy? No advance promise to hire, but that is the goal. We also know they will still need to meet the Contingency criteria and must be board approved.

2. In a School Board Briefing/Proposed Action Report dated June 7, 2013 regarding the STR Program, it states that “Fiscal impact for this action will be to hire approximately 25 teachers for the 2014-2015 school year. Based on increasing or static student enrollment and/or customary retirements this action by itself should not increase base line spending.” If these contingent contracts are not expected to increase the base line spending, does that mean that potentially 25 current teachers in the District will be displaced because 25 (of the total open positions which shall remain the same for 2016) have been reserved for Residents who complete the program? While this pipeline will serve to “back fill” some turnover due to regular attrition, does the District have any analysis as to whether and how many teachers are expected to get displaced as a consequence of this program? You mentioned that this Program was designed to address issues around retention and shortage in the District, could you please refer us to this analysis.

The applicants will be part of the Phase I, II, III hiring if contingency criteria’s are met, including board approval. The analysis is based on the number of Elementary, Special Education and English Language Learners Teachers have been vacancies in the past.

3. In the MOA, it states that SPS will “Assure that provisions are made and requirements are

met for hiring residents in conformity with Collective bargaining Agreement between SPS and SEA.” -Could you explain what efforts the District has made to assure that the hiring of residents conform with the collective bargaining agreement between SPS and SEA? Staff must be part of the Phase I, II and III hiring upon approval and hiring from Contingency Contracts.