AFSCME Privatization Update

Source: JOHN BURGESON, Connecticut Post, 05/06/2008 11:05:15 PM EDT

Mayor Bill Finch, excoriated in recent days over his proposed budget that would deeply cut the school health clinics, said Tuesday the clinics could remain open if they were privatized. Finch, at a news conference in City Hall Annex, announced the formation of a seven-member committee that will make recommendations for turning over operation of the 10 school clinics to private health care providers.

....... Finch was referring to the reimbursement the city gets from Medicaid for services provided at the clinics. Other health care providers can bill Medicaid at a higher rate than the city if they're federally qualified, officials say.

Posted by Info Center at 1:55 PM in Health | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Connecticut

Source: BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN, Chicago Sun Times (IL), April 30, 2008

Cathy and Richard Bedard worried that something was wrong on the bus that took two of their three special-needs children to school. So the Berwyn couple slipped a tape recorder in their 13-year-old daughter Tiffany's backpack to investigate. They couldn't believe their ears when they pushed play. Cathy Bedard threw up.

"F - - - ing little monster," a man groused at 17-year-old Rick, who has Down syndrome. There were also jokes about tying kids to the roof of the bus, threats of breaking a child's finger and chuckling when a disabled student was escorted to another seat in order to "irritate" a classmate.

...... The driver and a bus aide, Eugene Church, were suspended from driving students in the Morton School District 201, which hired First Student Inc. to transport eight disabled children to a special-needs school in Chicago.

But the district learned that the two men were allowed to work elsewhere following a six-week suspension after the Jan. 17 recording surfaced, so the district is reviewing its $1.5 million annual contract with First Student and will try to bid the contract out by the end of the school year, district spokesman Dan Proft said.

Posted by Info Center at 2:02 PM in Horror Stories | School Bus | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Illinois

Source: Jennifer Mrozowski, The Detroit News, Saturday, May 3, 2008

The Detroit Public Schools board on Thursday will consider a recommendation to boot the private company that has run its food services operation since 2001, a move being championed by some parents and cafeteria workers who have criticized the Philadelphia-based firm.

A school board subcommittee voted 3-0 on Thursday to recommend giving Aramark Educational Services LLC a 60-day termination notice as of July 1, said school board President Carla Scott.

......... Criticism of the $40 million food services operation has ramped up in recent months, with some union groups and parents holding rallies at the district's headquarters calling for termination of the contract. A union group earlier this year released a study claiming that Aramark mismanaged the district's cafeterias and kept more than $1 million in savings that should have been returned to the system.

Posted by Info Center at 11:01 AM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Michigan

Source: By Elizabeth Benton, New Haven Register (CT), Sat, Apr 19, 2008

State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has begun a probe of beleaguered school lunch provider Aramark Corp., citing concerns about "reports of deficient food quality and service" and inappropriate handling of food rebates and discounts. In a Friday letter to Aramark General Counsel Bart Colli, Blumenthal "strongly urged" Aramark to comply with Freedom of Information Act requests submitted by local unions, and requested Aramark provide similar information to his office by April 28.

...... Aramark is fighting a Freedom of Information Act request for Aramark's financial records from the Service Employees International Union, which claims the company has run deficits in its food service programs nationwide.

Posted by Info Center at 3:39 PM in Food Services | Horror Stories | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Connecticut

Source: by Allan Appel, New Haven Independent (CT), April 29, 2008

New Haven's public schools are moving toward managing their own kitchens. The surprise announcement came during a briefing by Chief Operating Officer Will Clark at the Board of Education's (BOE) monthly meeting Monday.

...... Larry Dorman, a spokesman for AFSCME Council 4 local 287, representing the custodians and local 3144, which represents facilities supervisors at the schools, said Aramark's ejection from the food business is "only half the equation. We need to see them expelled from the facilities maintenance as well."

Posted by Info Center at 11:43 AM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Victories | Permalink
Tags: Connecticut

Source: By KAREN AYRES SMITH, The Dallas Morning News (TX), Saturday, April 5, 2008

AUSTIN - Texas charter schools have reaped $26 million in undeserved state money by filing incorrect student attendance reports, according to state financial records.

The Texas Education Agency, which oversees public education in the state, is working to recover $17 million of the $26 million from nearly half of the charters now operating in Texas. TEA records show that 20 schools went out of business before the state could recover its money, leaving taxpayers holding a $9 million bag of debt.

Posted by Info Center at 3:36 PM in Horror Stories | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Texas

Source: By LESLIE MODICA, Foster's Daily Democrat (NH), Saturday, April 5, 2008

A decision to privatize school custodial work has prompted a formal labor complaint against the school district.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2932, Dover Custodial and Grounds, filed the complaint with the Public Employee Labor Relations Board on March 14, citing several complaints with the process surrounding its collective bargaining process and the district's intent to privatize custodial work.

Posted by Info Center at 3:32 PM in Custodial | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: New Hampshire

Source: THE ENQUIRER (OH), April 2, 2008

Mason school officials plan to fight an administrative law judge's recent ruling regarding unfair labor charges filed against the district.

Two years ago, the district contracted for custodial services at the new Mason Early Childhood Center and at an addition to the intermediate school. Doing so is saving about $300,000 annually, said Mike Brannon, assistant superintendent for operations.

The district's chapter of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees filed unfair labor practice charges, alleging that the district refused to bargain with the union on the matter. The union represents groundskeepers and custodial, maintenance and HVAC workers.

Posted by Info Center at 10:56 AM in Custodial | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Ohio

Source: By Jameel Naqvi, Daily Herald (IL), 3/28/2008

Aramark, the contractor that cleans and feeds dozens of suburban schools, was in the hot seat Thursday.

The Illinois House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee held a hearing in Chicago on a litany of complaints against Aramark from workers, parents and union officials.

The Philadelphia-based company did not attend the hearing -- missing a chance to respond to a nationwide campaign to unionize Aramark workers and expose the firm's alleged abuses.

....... Thursday's hearing focused on a report released this month by the Service Employees' International Union, which is trying to add 100,000 Aramark workers nationwide to its membership rolls and 2,000 in the Chicago area alone.

...... The report, titled "Failing Grade: How Outsourcing Vital School Services to Aramark Corp. is Shortchanging Illinois Kids," alleges Aramark pays low wages, provides few benefits and does not adequately clean schools or feed suburban schoolchildren.

Posted by Info Center at 11:09 AM in Custodial | Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Illinois

Source: By Susan Snyder, Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), Thu, Mar. 27, 2008

...... The budget includes no money for raises next year for the district's five unions, including the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, its largest.

...... The plan also assumes that Gov. Rendell's budget, which has more than $80 million in new basic education funding for the district, will be passed and that the district will continue to spend the same amount on disciplinary schools and the nearly 40 schools run by six outside managers, including Edison Schools Inc.

........ It is still considering whether to keep Edison and other outside managers originally hired in 2002 to improve the district's most troubled schools. A decision is expected next month.

Posted by Info Center at 2:43 PM in Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Pennslyvania

Source: Samantha Broussard-Wilson, Yale Daily News (CT), Thursday, March 27, 2008

After last week's emotionally charged public hearing before the Board of Aldermen -- which was attended by over 200 public-school cooks, custodians, teachers, parents and students -- Aramark may soon be leaving town. But the company isn't going without a fight.

...... Larry Dorman, a spokesman for the Local 287 division of Council 4, said the most efficient and effective model the city could adopt would be a self-managed model rather than an outside-contractor setup. "We think the mayor and the aldermen really need to look hard at why the city has spent millions of dollars with an outside contractor to essentially act as an incompetent middle man," Dorman said.

Posted by Info Center at 2:39 PM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Connecticut

Source: By Amanda McGregor, Salem News (MA), March 24, 2008 11:41 pm

More than a dozen school cafeteria workers -- many wearing green AFSCME union T-shirts with gold lettering -- gathered at last night's School Committee meeting and said they worry for their jobs if the school lunch program is privatized.

...... Food service workers say a private company would pay less. They said they currently make roughly $15 an hour.

...... Aramark, Whitsons and Chartwells (Compass Group) were the three companies to submit proposals.

Posted by Info Center at 11:14 AM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Massachusetts

Source: Lisa Roose-Church, Lansing State Journal (MI), March 24, 2008

...... The Howell Public Schools Board of Education is being asked today to discuss teacher layoffs, as well as privatizing its 50 food-service employees, much as it did the child-care aides.

...... If privatized, the food-service group would most likely become employees of a third-party contractor, Caledonia-based Professional Educational Services Group, which holds the contract for three of the district's administrators and 35 child-care aides, Parrish said.

Posted by Info Center at 2:49 PM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Michigan

Source: By Maria Garriga, New Haven Register (CT), Wed, Mar 19, 2008

Aramark Corp. took a beating Tuesday at a public hearing held by the Board of Aldermen's finance committee. Between 120 to 130 people crowded into the aldermanic chambers for a public excoriation of the food and custodial service management company for its food, service and repeated fiscal deficits in running school programs.

..... Janitors criticized Aramark over inadequate staffing, defective equipment and ignoring employee concerns. "Things don't get fixed," said Robert Montuori, president of Council 4 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 287.

Related articles:
New Haven Independent: Chicken -- & Company -- Blasted / They came to bash Aramark, which was missing in action.

Posted by Info Center at 11:02 AM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Connecticut

Source: AM Online (MI), 02/29/2008

Detroit, Mich. public school officials are investigating Aramark's food service management contract, according to The Detroit Free Press. The district could be forced to pay penalties to the state if it is found to have used federal money that by law was not supposed to be paid to Aramark, said Barry Sackin, a consultant and former vice president of public policy for the School Nutrition Association in Alexandria, Va.

Posted by Info Center at 3:11 PM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Michigan

Source: By Mary Beth Almond, C & G News (MI), Feb. 22.

Members of Birmingham Public Schools' custodial and transportation staff are up in arms about the district's exploration of possible changes to school services.

...... On Feb. 5, an alert from the Michigan American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Council 25 was placed next to the agenda outside the Board of Education meeting room for members of the community to pick up on their way into the meeting.

The flier, endorsed by Michigan AFSCME Council 25 President Albert Garrett and Secretary-Treasurer Lawrence A. Roehrig, stated, "As public school districts consider choosing moving forward with plans to privatize school services, they are treading a well-worn and ill-chosen path filled with pitfalls."

Posted by Info Center at 2:52 PM in Custodial | Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink
Tags: Michigan

Source: TRACI L. WEISENBACH , The Huron Daily Tribune (MI), 02/15/2008

UPPER THUMB -- As schools across this area and the state are working to trim their expenses wherever possible, school leaders are faced with some very difficult decisions. The goal is to make budget reductions that will affect students' education the least, and to that end, some districts are choosing to privatize non-instructional services.

According to survey data from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Michigan school districts have increased their use of competitive contracting with private firms for school support services in recent years. From 2005 to 2007, the percentage of districts that contracted food, busing or janitorial services rose from 35.5 percent to 40.2 percent. In the Upper Thumb, only a few districts are privatizing a support service -- Caseville, Deckerville, Harbor Beach and Port Hope, according to the Mackinac Center data.

Posted by Info Center at 2:26 PM in Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Michigan

Source: By Susan Snyder, Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), Wed, Feb. 13, 2008

Parent and student groups plan to block traffic at Broad and Spring Garden streets at 4 p.m. today to call on the Philadelphia School District to end contracts with six outside groups that manage nearly 40 city schools.

The group's action comes as the district finishes plans to overhaul 70 of its lowest performing schools. More than a dozen of the 70 are managed by the outside groups including Edison Schools Inc., Victory Schools, Foundations Inc., Universal Companies, the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University.

Posted by Info Center at 2:00 PM in Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Pennslyvania

Source: Elizabeth Benton, New Haven Register (CT), Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Union-sponsored billboards that target Aramark Corp. will hit the Elm City this week as part of an accelerating union campaign to remove the Philadelphia-based company from oversight of maintenance of public schools.

The 10 billboards, paid for by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Council 4, target Aramark for the purchase of what custodians claim are unwieldy, ineffective and overpriced "bear-proof" trash Dumpsters.

Posted by Info Center at 1:55 PM in Maintenance | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Connecticut

Source: Samantha Broussard-Wilson, Yale Daily News (CT), Friday, February 1, 2008

Aramark, the food-services company formerly employed by Yale University Dining Services, is now facing allegations of mismanagement and poor food quality from cafeteria workers and custodians in New Haven Public Schools.

...... The rally is being organized by UNITE HERE, a union that includes hotel, restaurant and some cafeteria employees and is affiliated with the Federation of Hospital and University Employees, the union for service workers at Yale. Council 4 and Service Employees International Union, both custodial-worker unions, are also involved in the organizing the rally.

...... The Local 287 division of Council 4 had almost 100 percent of its membership sign a petition calling for the Board of Education to fire Aramark, said Larry Dorman, a Council 4 spokesman.

Posted by Info Center at 11:22 AM in Custodial | Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Connecticut

By Diane Bukowski, Special to The Michigan Citizen, January 27, 2008

DETROIT -- Dozens of demonstrators braved chilling winds outside the Detroit Public Schools Welcome Center Jan. 18 to kick off a national campaign aimed at dumping Aramark contracts at school districts, universities and hospitals.

Members of the community, including DPS parents and state legislators, along with the unions UNITE/HERE, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Operating Engineers Local 547, Teamsters Council 43, and the Detroit Federation of Teachers, among others, called on the new school board and DPS Superintendent Connie Calloway to cut ties with Aramark.

Posted by Info Center at 1:06 PM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Michigan

Source: Socialist Worker, January 18, 2008

NEW SEATTLE Public Schools superintendent, Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson, in her effort to centralize and standardize the Seattle Public School District has hired the New York-based consulting firm McKinsey & Co.--a corporation with a track record of supporting school privatization.

But the teachers developed a different lesson plan for the direction of the public schools--the Seattle Education Association (SEA, the local teachers' union) overwhelmingly ratified a motion strongly advising its members to not participate in interviews with McKinsey.

Posted by Info Center at 2:04 PM in Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Washington

Source: By Elizabeth Benton, New Haven Register (CT), Mon, Jan 14, 2008

Nearly 200 custodians working in city schools will petition the Board of Education tonight to terminate its relationship with Aramark Corp, calling the Philadelphia company's performance in New Haven an "unmitigated disaster."

"There's no more working together. There's no more covering for them," said Robert Montouri, president of Council 4 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 287.

Posted by Info Center at 11:00 AM in Custodial | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Connecticut

Source: By Donna Beutler, Whitewood Herald, December 3rd, 2007

It was bad news for private school bus owners who will no longer be in the business of providing bus service for students in the Prairie Valley School Division (PVSD) following the board's decision to have its own fleet of buses in operation by August of 2008. The motion was supported by six board members and opposed by four.

Private bus owners were shocked to hear the news that the decision had been made at special meeting of the board on November 23rd and according to local bus owners like Les Beutler and Kevin White last Thursday when The Herald spoke to them, they had not yet been notified of the decision by the Prairie Valley office.

Posted by Info Center at 11:27 AM in Publicization | Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink
Tags: Canada

Source: By Paul E. Peterson and Matthew M. Chingos, Working Paper Number:RWP07-055. Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, Submitted: 11/13/2007

Abstract
Using individual student test-score data from the School District of Philadelphia, we estimated the impact of for-profit and non-profit school management on student achievement by tracking the performance of students in math and reading from 2001 to 2006. After four years, the average student at schools managed by for-profit firms learned roughly two-thirds of a year more in math than would be expected had the schools remained under district management. However, the positive impact of for-profit management on average reading gains was smaller and not statistically significant. For non-profits, we found mainly negative impacts on student performance in both math and reading, but none were statistically significant. Treatment effects were identified using a quasi-experimental research design known as "difference-in-differences" analysis. We used as a control group the 71 schools under regular district management at which students were performing below the district median.

Posted by Info Center at 11:39 AM in Nonprofits | Schools K-12 | Permalink
Tags: Pennslyvania

Source: By Jeff Christman, The Morning Call (PA), October 29, 2007

A proposal to outsource Pleasant Valley School District transportation and food service probably would result in unreliable bus service, empty promises of savings and more than 140 district employees without jobs, according to a union leader.

Scott Carpenter and Paul Shemansky of the Pennsylvania State Education Association lobbied the school board Thursday to reconsider the ''monumental move'' of contracting with private, profit-driven companies to provide the services.

''Essentially you're firing more than 140 people and offering their jobs to people who will be paid low wages without health benefits,'' Shemansky said.

Posted by Info Center at 3:03 PM in Food Services | School Bus | Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: By ALAN J. BORSUK, Journal Sentinel (WI), Oct. 24, 2007

A study being released today suggests that school choice isn't a powerful tool for driving educational improvement in Milwaukee Public Schools.

But more surprising than the conclusion is the organization issuing the study: the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, a conservative think tank that has supported school choice for almost two decades, when Milwaukee became the nation's premier center for trying the idea. The institute is funded in large part by the Milwaukee-based Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, an advocate of school choice.

Posted by Info Center at 11:14 AM in Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: By George Diepenbrock, Journal News, October 2, 2007

Lawrence's yellow school buses will soon get a name change with the announcement of a multi-billion-dollar acquisition today by a Scottish bus and rail operating company.

Lawrence's yellow school buses will soon get a name change with the announcement of a multi-billion-dollar acquisition today by a Scottish bus and rail operating company. Watch

Yellow school buses in Lawrence and across the nation will soon have a new name on the side, but company and school district leaders expect no major changes.

First Group PLC of the United Kingdom on Monday announced completion of its $3.4 billion acquisition of Laidlaw International Inc., which includes Laidlaw Education Services and Greyhound Lines. The Lawrence school district has a contract for transportation services through 2011 with Laidlaw, which is now called First Student.

Posted by Info Center at 3:22 PM in School Bus | Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

Source: By Susan Snyder, Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), Wed, Sep. 26, 2007

The Philadelphia School District will end its contract with Aramark to run full-service cafeterias in 115 of the district's 267 schools, officials announced yesterday.

As of Oct. 1, the school district will take back the operations and run the cafeterias, which Aramark has run for the last two years.

District officials said earlier this month that they were unhappy that the company had not helped the district erase a long-standing deficit in its full-service cafeteria operations and were considering terminating the five-year contract - renewable annually - after the first two full years.

Posted by Info Center at 2:15 PM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: By Susan Snyder, Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), Fri, Sep. 28, 2007

Two national unions that represent cafeteria and custodial employees in the Philadelphia School District yesterday called on Gov. Rendell to appoint an independent auditor to investigate the state-run district's recently severed contract with the Aramark food-service company. The unions said the district's full-service cafeterias continued to operate in the red under Aramark, finishing with a $4 million deficit in 2005-06 - the first year they were managed by Aramark - and a nearly $7 million shortfall last June.

...... "The community has the right to know why Aramark was not able to live up to its proposed sales and expense projections, which resulted in continued deficits for the school district," said the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Unite Here.

Posted by Info Center at 11:08 AM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: By Adam Wise, Daily Tribune (WI), September 26, 2007

The Wisconsin Rapids School Board elected Tuesday night to fill current custodial vacancies with non-union employees on its own, a change from its recent plan. For the past month, the School Board has contemplated outsourcing its custodians as another measure to cut spending in the district.

This past summer, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local No. 1075 bargained language into its latest contract that limited the school district's ability to outsource only through attrition.

Posted by Info Center at 2:51 PM in Custodial | Schools K-12 | Victories | Permalink

Source: WTAP News (OH), 11:22 PM Sep 24, 2007

The Ohio Association of Public School Employees, or OAPSE, says the Marietta City Schools Board of Education is considering outsourcing bus drivers and custodial staff to cut costs.

People were saying this is a trend that has happened in larger cities in Ohio but here staff members are afraid if this happens, they will be out of jobs. Nearly one hundred employees, students, and parents lined the driveway of Marietta High School carrying placards in support of long-time employees.

Posted by Info Center at 10:44 AM in Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

Source: By Susan Snyder, Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), Wed, Sep. 5, 2007

The Philadelphia School District in 2005 hired Aramark to help it erase a long-standing deficit in its full-service cafeterias.

But the Philadelphia-based company hasn't closed that deficit, and school officials, none too happy, are now prepared to end the contract with the company if new terms can't be reached.

Posted by Info Center at 11:26 AM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: School Bus Fleet (IL), August 23, 2007

On Aug. 17, Gov. Rod Blagojevich approved a bill to apply new rules for school boards that outsource support services. Under the new law, districts are not allowed to enter into a contract during collective bargaining, and contracts are limited to two years. In addition, both the district and the contractor must make cost projections for each expense category, which cannot be increased during the contract. The school board must provide a cost comparison, and a minimum of two public hearings to discuss the proposal must be held.

...... The bill was supported by teacher unions and public employee unions. School bus contractors were among its opponents.

Posted by Info Center at 1:57 PM in Laws/Legislation | School Bus | Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

Source: By Carol D. Leonnig, Washington Post, Friday, August 10, 2007

Brenda Belton had some gall, by her own admission. As charter school oversight chief for the D.C. Board of Education, she repeatedly stole from the school system, arranging about $649,000 in illegal school payments and sweetheart contracts to herself and her friends.

…… She bypassed the city's competitive bidding process to select contractors to monitor the charter schools, according to D.C. and federal education investigators.

Posted by Info Center at 11:48 AM in Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: By SUSAN FIELD, Morning Sun, Thursday, August 2, 2007

Whether or not a Clare County school district can privatize teacher's aides is in the hands of a circuit judge.

Attempts by the Harrison Board of Education to privatize those jobs were halted Tuesday when Clare County Chief Circuit Judge Thomas Evans granted a temporary restraining order and told the district's attorney to file a response to the Harrison Educational Support Professionals Association's and the Michigan Education Association's request for a preliminary injunction.

....... State law prohibits the privatization of teaching positions, but it allows for support staff, such as transportation and food service, to be contracted, Harrison Community Schools Superintendent Christopher Rundle said.

Posted by Info Center at 11:56 AM in Laws/Legislation | Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: Democrat & Chronicle (NY), August 1, 2007

Use available public transportation to help get kids to public schools. Makes sense right? Especially when doing so could save taxpayers money and focus more school dollars on student achievement.

Trouble is, the Federal Transit Administration doesn't see it that way. In a virtual replay of a lower-level ruling handed down last January, the FTA determined that a federally subsidized bus system such as the Rochester Genesee Regional Transit Authority must not compete against private contractors. Even when doing so would be cost-effective.

Posted by Info Center at 11:49 AM in Federal | Laws/Legislation | Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

Source: By Ryan Bentley, News-Review (MI), Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Petoskey school board members decided Monday to turn to a private contractor to supply all employees for local schools’ food-service program in 2007-08 — eliminating 13 cook and cook helper positions from the district’s staff in the process.

......... Agnes Shaw, PESPA’s co-president and a cook at Petoskey High School, said several local organizations — such as Northern Michigan Hospital and North Central Michigan College — had privatized some of their support services in the past but later reversed their decisions.

“They are all back to their employees because there are hidden costs in these contracts that are prohibitive,” she said.

...... Hourly wages for the cook and cook helper positions which Petoskey plans to eliminate range from $10 to $14.08.

One of the 14 new food-service positions to be provided by contractor Chartwells would have a $7.75 hourly wage, while others’ wages would range from $9.25 to $10.20.

Currently, district food-service employees working more than 25 hours per week are eligible for health benefits for themselves and dependents, while workers scheduled for fewer hours can receive prorated benefits.

Chartwells would supply single benefit coverage for employees who work at least 28.75 hours weekly.

Posted by Info Center at 10:16 AM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: Gary McLendon, Democrat & Chronicle (NY), August 1, 2007

Regional Transit Service buses will not suddenly stop transporting students to Rochester high schools, the City School District says, because the transit agency will seek a federal court order allowing the service to continue.

The Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority is expected to seek an injunction to prevent the Federal Transit Administration from demanding that RTS stop competing against private companies by transporting students for the district.

With the dispute headed to court, the district says bus service for students will continue as usual when school begins, despite Monday's decision by the FTA, which provides funding for RGRTA.

........ On Monday, the FTA upheld a decision by a regional administrator that RGRTA, which operates RTS, must stop providing bus service to the City School District because it violates regulations prohibiting federally subsidized organizations from competing against private contractors.

Posted by Info Center at 10:11 AM in Federal | Laws/Legislation | Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

By Dakarai I. Aarons, Memphis Appeal (TN), July 24, 2007

Memphis City Schools is looking at bringing part of its busing in-house.

......... When the district's more than $20 million a year busing contract with LaidLaw ends in 2009, the cost is likely to go up by more than 20 percent because of the lack of competition, said Michael Goar, the district's chief operating officer.

....... The district has often come under fire for its longstanding contract with Laidlaw, which has been criticized as overpriced.

Posted by Info Center at 3:11 PM in Publicization | Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

Source: BY LIZ COBBS, Ann Arbor News (MI), Sunday, July 29, 2007

Pinckney school officials weren't trying to lead the way on privatization when they decided to outsource food service in 1976 and bus transportation in 1994. They just wanted to find ways to save money, said Linda Moskalik, assistant superintendent for finance and operations.

......... During a time of budget cuts, declining student enrollment and uncertainty over state funding, many districts have turned to private companies to provide food, janitorial and busing services, and that trend is expected to continue.

Posted by Info Center at 12:33 PM in Custodial | Food Services | Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

Source: BY SHARLONDA L. WATERHOUSE, Post-Tribune (IN), July 18, 2007

GARY -- After 20 years with Gary School Corp., Laidlaw is being given the heave-ho.

The company raised its rates, was dogged by accusations of chronic tardiness, and now has been outbid by Cincinnati, Ohio's One Button Services for the lucrative $6.8 million bus contract.

Posted by Info Center at 10:44 AM in Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

Source: By LUCILLE HUSTON, The Review (OH), June 29, 2007

HAMMONDSVILLE — Tempers flared and criticism was leveled at the Edison Local Board of Education during its meeting Thursday night. The cafeteria was full of OAPSE/AFSCME union members from throughout the State of Ohio, including the Ohio president from Girard in Trumbull County and a union representative from Columbus.

The reason for the criticism and discontent was the board’s plan to contract bus services to a private company.

……[Fred McGraw] also cited a report from a Kent State University professor concerning a study on contracting bus services. He claimed the district would have a loss of control, a higher costs, dissatisfaction because problems experienced by parents and students would not go directly to the school and because there would be hidden costs.

In some districts, he said the private companies attempt to purchase fuel through the school because it is tax free, and added that this is illegal as some have discovered.

Posted by Info Center at 10:32 AM in Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

Source: By Clayton Hardima, Muskegon Chronicle (MI), Thursday, June 28, 2007

One by one, union members and officials faced the Muskegon Heights Board of Education Wednesday night and made impassioned pleas to board members to reject privatizing school custodial services and save custodians' jobs.

They cited their dedication to their work, years of service and the family feeling they said existed among employees of the district.

......... Bryant estimated that privatizing custodial services would save the district $200,000 to $225,000. If the decision to not privatize is made, the money will have to be found elsewhere. Bryant said the decision would affect 141/2 custodial positions.

Posted by Info Center at 12:09 PM in Custodial | Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: By Amanda M. Wimmer, The Northwestern (WI), June 24, 2007

Nearly two months after its building and grounds director was reassigned in the wake of an investigation of inappropriate computer use, the Oshkosh school district is considering eliminating its contract with the company that former building and grounds director Dwayne Turpin works for.

Sodexho, a global food service and facilities management company, the company hired in 2003 to manage the school district's maintenance and facilities, is paid more than $250,000 per year to provide management staff and other maintenance services.

.......... Earlier this month, Superintendent Ron Heilmann recommended the board terminate the contract with Sodexho and hire its own buildings and grounds director. The change would save the district about $134,000 per year, Heilmann said.

Posted by Info Center at 10:55 AM in Maintenance | Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: Sherry Anne Rubiano, The Arizona Republic, May. 25, 2007 08:28 AM

........ The Dysart Unified School District will begin running its own buses June 11, the first day for summer school activities, and will begin its full-scale operations when school starts in the fall. That means district-employed bus drivers and district-owned buses will be in charge of student transportation, rather than an outside provider.

Durham School Services had operated the school's transportation system for years. But problems with buses not running on schedule and incorrect pick-up and drop-off points prompted the change.

Posted by Info Center at 1:36 PM in Publicization | School Bus | Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

Source: By Susan Snyder, Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), May 20, 2007

None of the six private groups hired to manage 41 Philadelphia public schools - including for-profit Edison Schools Inc. - has shown "sufficient" academic progress, and the district should consider axing them when their contracts expire in June, according to an internal school district report obtained by The Inquirer.

At best, only 14 - about a third - of the schools run by the groups deserve contract renewals, the report said. Those schools met federal targets for academic improvement in 2005, 2006 or both, according to the report.

Posted by Info Center at 2:05 PM in Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: By CLARE JELLICK, Peoria Journal Star (IL)Wednesday, May 2, 2007
\
District 150's "lunch ladies" are making a plea to the public to help them avoid complete outsourcing of food service, which workers say could result in a reduction in wages and benefits, their union being dissolved or a loss of jobs.

The 219 employees have been putting up orange and blue yard signs this week that say "Save Our Lunch Ladies - No Outsourcing #150." About 200 signs have been distributed.

Posted by Info Center at 10:07 AM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: CATHY HENG, THE SAGINAW NEWS (MI), Sunday, April 29, 2007

MIDLAND -- Employees, citizens, union members, family members and even pickets are having their say before the Midland Board of Education as it considers outsourcing some school support services.

..... Employees and citizens have expressed concern about the loss of jobs, student and staff safety, reliability and background checks. They also say the proposals are cut-and-slash tactics, provide wages set at poverty levels and go against public opinion. Fred Baker, a district retiree, gave the board signatures of 1,905 community members who do not want privatization of school services.

Posted by Info Center at 11:28 AM in Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: Lisa Cornwell, The Associated Press (OH), Sunday, January 28, 2007

CINCINNATI -- The state attorney general's office is trying to find ways to improve enforcement and oversight of criminal background checks on school bus drivers after a private bus company discovered that it had not done complete checks on all drivers.

........ First Student Inc., based in Cincinnati, suspended service for the day Thursday to the Columbus Public Schools while it scrambled to check if all drivers had required background checks. The district had to cancel classes for the day, and other districts that use the company around the state questioned if their drivers had the required checks.

Posted by Info Center at 2:11 PM in Horror Stories | School Bus | Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

Source: International Transport Workers' Federation news release, 2 February 2007

Trade unions from European countries where passenger carrier FirstGroup is planning to expand have announced plans to send a fact finding mission to the USA to investigate the company's service record and whether it is living up to its pledge to remain neutral during union membership drives.

....... The British and American delegates passed on examples of FirstGroup's poor service quality after being awarded local government and school contracts for bus service. Delegates learned that just in the past week schools in Ohio were shut down for a day because FirstGroup's school bus subsidiary failed to screen out drivers with criminal records.

Related article from the Cincinnati Enquirer, January 25, 2007: Schools close over bus driver checks

Posted by Info Center at 2:07 PM in Horror Stories | School Bus | Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

Source: By Martha Woodall, Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), February 1, 2007

Desperate to find ways to boost student performance, districts across the country have turned to companies to run schools, but researchers say the management change didn't transform the schools. "They have neither destroyed the schools nor have they made a big difference," said Henry M. Levin, director of Columbia University's National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education

........ Overall, results have been mixed, Levin said. And a study by the Rand Corp. released today concludes that privately run schools in Philadelphia did no better in raising student test scores than did district-run schools.

Posted by Info Center at 2:04 PM in Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: By Amy Fagan, THE WASHINGTON TIMES, January 30, 2007

Some National School Boards Association (NSBA) members yesterday booed Education Secretary Margaret Spellings when she mentioned the administration's proposal to help students in chronically failing public schools attend private ones instead. Sandra Nichols, a member of the Pajaro Valley Unified School Board in Watsonville, Calif., asked Mrs. Spellings to respond to critics who think the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) already is "an effort to privatize our school system" by setting tough standards and then deeming public schools as failing.

Posted by Info Center at 10:08 AM in Federal | Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: Council 13, Public Employee Press, Vol. 35 no. 6, November/December 2006
When the Altoona Area School District announced plans to privatize its transportation services over the summer, the members of Local 2952 feared the worst. But good contract language, solid labor-management skills, and tough negotiations saved the jobs and preserved most benefits of more than 40 members.
"It's a major accomplishment," said Staff Representative Ted Manna. The five-year contract with Student Transportation of America, which members approved in a 39-to-2 vote on July 17th, provides the same base pay as the previous contract, plus annual increases.
Nearly all of the workers' previous benefits were maintained. In addition, members of 2952 will receive a new longevity pay benefit.

Posted by Info Center at 5:07 PM in Schools K-12 | Victories | Permalink

Source: CHARLES WILSON, Associated Press, Wed, Dec. 06, 2006

INDIANAPOLIS - A new Daniels administration report recommends state government change the way it does business in a multitude of small to sweeping ways, from reducing overtime to possibly privatizing license branches. The efficiency report, ordered by lawmakers two years ago, was completed by the state Office of Management and Budget. It includes more than 100 recommendations for officials' consideration, some of which require legislative action and others that could be ordered by Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Among the "operational" or administrative recommendations are some 24 possibilities for privatization, including state Bureau of Motor Vehicles branches, highway maintenance, school bus inspections and prison work-release programs.

Posted by Info Center at 10:56 AM in Corrections | Schools K-12 | Transportation | Permalink

Source: By Bill Jones, AFSCME Illinois On The Move November/December 2006 #103
“Crossing-Guards Left Standing at the Curb,” the local newspaper headlines read on Wednesday, Sept. 27, after an emergency Personnel Committee meeting to consider an agreement between the city and the local school district.
The Intergovernmental Agreement would have given the school district responsibility for all school crossing guards, meaning that three positions covered under our labor agreement, which expires December 2008, would be terminated from the city. The positions have been in AFSCME since 1988.

Posted by Info Center at 4:11 PM in Schools K-12 | Victories | Permalink

Source: By NATALIA E. ARBULÚ, The Republican (MA), Wednesday, November 22, 2006

SPRINGFIELD - City officials are hearing complaints from some parents about the quality of school lunches, while cafeteria workers claim they don't have enough staff to promptly prepare and serve food to pupils. On Monday, the Joint Ad hoc Committee of the City Council and School Committee listened to concerns about lunches since Sodexho School Services took over the food services program.

Posted by Info Center at 10:16 AM in Food Services | Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: By Susan Snyder, Philadelphia Inquirer, November 15, 2006

In 2002, the Philadelphia School District embarked on the nation's largest experiment in private management of public schools, with educators across the country watching. As the five-year anniversary approaches, the district's leadership is proposing to halve funding next fiscal year to the six private managers running 41 of the district's 270-plus schools. The managers include the for-profit Edison Schools Inc., which runs 20 of the schools. Such a move could further erode the privatization movement in public school systems, which never took off as envisioned, experts say.

Posted by Info Center at 9:58 AM in Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: California State Auditor/Bureau of State Audits Summary of Report 2006-114 - October 2006

The California Children and Families Commission (state commission) contracts with media and public relations companies to conduct mass media campaigns related to various issues involving early childhood development and school readiness. We found a number of problems with the way it awards and manages these contracts. For example, the state commission allowed one of its media contractors to circumvent the payment provisions of a contract by paying invoices totaling $673,000 between February 2002 and December 2003 for fees and expenses of some of the contractor's employees. These payments violated the terms of the contract, which stated that payment was to be based solely on commissions applied to the cost of advertising placed by the contractor and prohibited the charging of other services or fees. As a result, the state commission paid for services it had not contracted for, effectively preventing that money from being used to further the other activities allowed by the contract, namely purchasing printed ad space or broadcast media time.

Posted by Info Center at 1:16 PM in Horror Stories | Schools K-12 | Permalink

Source: Scott Stephens, Plain Dealer (OH), Thursday, October 26, 2006

The state's network of publicly funded, privately operated charter schools is constitutional, a sharply split Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. The 4-3 ruling was a big win for charter school operators and removes the uncertainty that dogged the state's 305 charter schools and the 72,000 students who attend them.