District held Hostage to Lure of STAR Dollars,
UTD stands firm against invalid program

Ratification Vote Set for Feb. 27

Members of the Miami-Dade School Board voted unanimously in favor of accepting the Special Magistrate’s recommendation of implementing the ill-conceived STAR plan in lieu of losing $19.6 million set aside by the Department of Education.

The decision came down at a special school board meeting held on Wednesday, where the school board was sympathetic to arguments presented by UTD representatives, but said the money was needed too much in this district to just let it slip away.   

“The DOE is playing games.  There is no reward here.  There is no validity to this ranking of our teachers,” UTD President Karen Aronowitz told the school board.  “There is the continued demoralization of our teachers, increased requirements of testing on our children and the continued assault on public education.” 

Members of UTD’s bargaining unit must now have a ratification vote on the STAR proposal before the March 1^st deadline imposed by the state.  Voting will be conducted by UTD stewards on Tuesday, February 27, at all worksites.  The votes will be counted on February 28 and reported to the School Board before the end of the day.

If STAR is approved by UTD bargaining unit members, it will be willingly implemented; if STAR is not ratified by bargaining unit members, it will then be imposed by the School Board. 

UTD's Rejection to Magistrate's Decision

MORE ON STAR

• Special Magistrate hears Emotional Testimony at STAR hearing 

• Impasse Declared in 'STAR' Negotiations

• Our Children Will be the Victims of STAR, Aronowitz tells MDCPS

• UTD Files Suit to Enjoin Illegal Pay

• STAR Complaint

• District's STAR Plan