[CALIBK12] Query: Can parents pay for certificated staff?

[Kelly Benning]

Do any of you smart people know the laws about what parents can and 
cannot fund at a school?
Our parents are willing to pay for librarians, but we've been told it's 
not allowed.
The story: Our district (Las Virgenes Unified) is tentatively planning 
to reorganize secondary library services following our elementary model. 
That is, one librarian who rotates among 3 middle schools and 2 high 
schools. Currently all five of these schools is staffed with a 
credentialed TL. I have gotten a March 15 notice and was told by the 
district to start looking for another job (I have the least seniority 
among the TLs); none of the other TLs got one, and it is anticipated 
that they will be reassigned to the classroom based on their seniority. 
I can only speak for my own school, but the parent group here wants to 
pay my salary to keep me on next year. I've been told by various people 
that it is illegal for parents to pay for certificated teaching staff. 
Illegal how? Is it a state ed code thing? Or is it a local district 
thing? (I can see why it would be illegal - rich districts could just 
buy more teachers and have smaller class sizes for their kids.)  Are any 
of you TLs paid for by parent groups? What if one school's parents pony 
up, but the others in the district don't? Remember - I am asking about 
certificated teachers, not classified staff like clerks, etc. (which 
parent groups CAN fund). I can't get any solid answers from anyone - 
even at the district level. I need to know if I should start looking for 
another job, or if the parents are going to be allowed to fund the TLs. 
Can anyone answer this?
Thanks, friends -
Kelly Benning
Teacher Librarian
AC Stelle Middle School
Calabasas, CA