On Monday, the governor's office informed us that they do not wish to make any changes in law at this time that would have any bearing on trigger provisions that were included in the most recent state budget. (They have already denied requests by others to make changes concerning the trigger.) This would include the provision proposed for SB 349, the CalSTRS omnibus bill, concerning the accrual of service credit if the school year is reduced below 175 days or 1,050 hours per year for teachers and 190 days or 1,520 hours per year for administrators. They have indicated that if the trigger is pulled late this fall, they will then work with the K-12 community in January to enact the necessary language to prevent the school year reduction from affecting service credit since they view that impact as an unintended consequence of the trigger. As long as the necessary changes are made in an urgency bill sometime in this school year, CalSTRS would apply the change to the current year.

We are asking that you answer a few questions that will help us identify the number of school districts that have reached agreement on negotiations that cover the 2011-12 fiscal year and include shortening of the school year below 175 days or 1,050 hours per year for teachers and 190 days or 1,520 hours per year for administrators should the mid-year budget trigger be pulled.

Please respond to our survey prior to Friday, September 9, 2011.