A State-required Auditor General's report has revealed that the Deer Valley Unified School District is in violation of acceptable fiscal accountability, both for inaccurate financial reporting, and having as much as $1M supplanted from teacher Performance Pay dollars(In other words, "They have it, we didn't get it!")  After hearing the details from this agenda item, Board member, and immediate past-president Christy Agosta, replied, "Next!"....Agosta was a major player in eliminating the former DVUSD certified employee payscale, thus ensuring future payroll cost-containment, implementing an open-ended system that may actually cost teachers thousands of dollars more than they may ever hope to earn, when pursuing professional growth.  And while the system is supposed to allow for unlimited earnings potential, teachers have learned that professional growth salary increases are not allowed upon reaching the level of BA + 90, with increases then coming only from possible District allotments!....The U.S. Defense Department is warning that transmitters, hidden in coins, may possibly be tracked to determine a person's location at any given time - like during a teacher's last period Prep-time, maybe?....Tom Horne, the recently re-elected Az. Public Education Superimposter, is against increasing the HS graduation requirement for math, to four years, from two.  Not only would this require adding more teachers to the payrolls, instead of administrators, but it would most certainly mean that students would need at least six years to graduate, instead of the current five years(or more dumbing-down of the AIMS tests!)....More district Superintendants are opting to begin phased-retirement programs, thereby drawing ASRS benefits along with reduced private-contract salaries.  The result is an approximate 50% increase in annual compensation.  Teachers, however, are still not accepting, with an estimated 70% of those eligible declining to participate, when the programs were originally intended for their benefit!  You see, administrators may return to their previous 'Good-Old-Boy' status, again receiving full salary, after one year in phased-retirement, but teachers would have to re-start much closer to the beginning of a district's payscale, if they opted-out, or if the phased retirement program ended.  And you thought no one was looking out for the admistration's welfare?  Anyway - teachers - it is still worth it!....Impending changes to ASRS - in order to keep the system viable and profitable for the members, there are two BIG changes on the NEAR horizon:  1.  It will soon require 85 points(age, plus years-of-service) to receive 100% benefits, instead of the present 80 points.  2.  Your most recent five(5) years highest salaries will determine your monthly benefit, instead of your previous three(3) years.  This will almost always cause your benefit to decrease from what it would have been!  Also, more districts are eliminating district-paid, future retiree medical/dental benefits, and while it is available through ASRS, it is - and will be - much more expensive than what your district now offers.  If your district administration denies that this is a possibility/probability, they are LYING to you!  If you are eligible to retire - phased or otherwise - now is the time to do so - unless you absolutely, positively cannot!  Make an appointment with your ASRS representative to do the math.  Afterall, the newly increased minimum wage will only pay you slightly better than what you presently receive per-hour!