There has been a slow and turbulent start to the Detroit Schools ' new school year. In a battle over contracts, some 7,000 teachers and 2,000 staff members refused to start school in September. These contract disagreements lead finally to a court battle. The contract disagreement began on August 28 after the Teachers Union rejected a two year contract that included salary cuts of 5% and increased health insurance co-payments. Detroit Schools wants an $88 million concession from the Detroit Schools' Teachers' Union to help with the $105 million deficit to its $1.36 billion budget.
On September 16, Detroit Circuit Court Judge Susan Borman ordered that the 7,000 striking Detroit Schools' teachers return to work. After this order, Detroit Teachers' Union president Janna Garrison read the order aloud to 3,000 Detroit Federation of Teachers members but did not comment or give any instructions as to whether the order should be obeyed. The vast majority of the teachers did not return to work.
Detroit Schools' spokesman Lekan Oguntoyinbo stated that under state law teachers who defied the order could face penalties which include fines and other actions. Oguntoyinbo said that Detroit Schools would go back to the courts and request that the order be enforce. As of the 18th of September, teachers had not returned and Detroit Schools has not decided what action it would take.
On the official first day of school, the 130,000 students in the Detroit Schools were greeted by their teachers not in the classroom but protesting outside. The picketing teachers were most of the teachers, only about 9% of Detroit Schools had returned to work. The Detroit Schools Board of Education worried that the strike would cause students to pull out of the Detroit schools and that their families will leave the city, however most parents support the teachers.
Detroit Schools' Teachers Return to Work
Even though the contract issues have not been fully resolved but the Teachers' Union has announced that the teachers returned to work on September 20. This was mainly due to pressures from the court and not due to reconciliation between the Detroit Schools and the teachers.
Many Union members, parents and other supporters of the teachers do not want the issue to remain tabled. These supporters want the Detroit Schools system revised. They claim the administration is top heavy and each position should be justified in some way. Others want the Detroit Schools to consider the consolidation of schools. This idea has fewer supporters because it would involve school closures that would greatly affect parents and neighborhoods. Even though this would be the most drastic of the possible ways to change the Detroit Schools, it may be the most cost effective. Like all issues there are many sides. Some wish the Detroit Schools top be run more like a business, which would include offering teacher buyouts, others believe education should be the main focus no matter what the costs.
Serie A 2006 2007
Outlook for the First Quarter and Full Year 2006
The Company's guidance for the first quarter of 2006 is as follows:
* GAAP revenue of $36.4 to $37.4 million;
* Stock-based compensation expense of approximately $2.2 million;
* GAAP net loss of approximately ($700,000) to GAAP net loss of ($200,000), resulting in GAAP net loss per diluted share of approximately ($0.02) to ($0.01) per share, which is based on an estimated 29.7 million diluted shares and an effective tax rate of 33.0 percent; and
* Cash net income of approximately $1.8 to $2.2 million, which excludes amortization of intangibles, stock-based compensation expense, and the associated tax impact, resulting in cash net income per diluted share of approximately $0.06 to $0.08 per share based on an estimated 29.7 million diluted shares and an effective tax rate of 39.5 percent.
The Company's guidance for the full year of 2006 is as follows:
* GAAP revenue of approximately $167.0 to $171.0 million;
* Stock-based compensation expense of approximately $10.6 million;
* GAAP net loss of approximately ($17.4) to ($15.7) million, resulting in GAAP net loss per diluted share of approximately ($0.58) to ($0.52) per share, which is based on an estimated 30.1 million diluted shares and an effective tax rate of 33.0 percent; and
* Cash net income of approximately $900,000 to $2.5 million, which excludes amortization of intangibles, stock-based compensation expense, and the associated tax impact, resulting in cash net income per diluted share of approximately $0.03 to $0.08 per share based on an estimated 30.1 million diluted shares and an effective tax rate of 39.5 percent.
Preliminary Guidance for the Full Year of 2007
* GAAP revenue of approximately $224 to $230 million;
* Stock-based compensation expense of approximately $15 million;
* GAAP net income of approximately $10 to $12 million, resulting in GAAP net income per diluted share of approximately $0.31 to $0.38 per share, which is based on an estimated 31.5 million diluted shares; and
* Cash net income of approximately $32 to $34 million, which excludes amortization of intangibles, stock-based compensation expense, and the associated tax impact, resulting in cash net income per diluted share of approximately $1.01 to $1.09 per share based on an estimated 31.5 million diluted shares.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This release includes forecasts of the Company's cash net income which is a non-GAAP financial measure. Management believes that cash net income, which excludes amortization of intangibles, stock-based compensation expense, and the associated tax impact, provides useful information to investors regarding the Company's ongoing financial condition and results of operations. In addition, management believes that cash net income is useful to investors because it provides an additional basis for measuring the Company's financial condition against other periods. Since the Company has historically reported non-GAAP results to the investment community, management also believes the inclusion of non-GAAP measure provides consistency in its financial reporting. However, non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition to the information contained in this release, investors should also review information contained in the Company's Form 10-K dated February 15, 2006, as well as other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission when assessing the Company's financial condition and results of operations.
About Blackboard Inc: Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ:BBBB) is a leading provider of enterprise software applications and related services to the education industry. Founded in 1997, Blackboard enables educational innovations everywhere by connecting people and technology. With two product suites, the Blackboard Academic Suite (TM) and the Blackboard Commerce Suite (TM), Blackboard is used by millions of people at academic institutions around the globe, including colleges, universities, K-12 schools and other education providers, as well as textbook publishers and student-focused merchants that serve education providers and their students. Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in North America, Europe and Asia.
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