Palm Springs Unified Considers Layoffs As State Budget Problems Grow

Palm Springs Unified is just one of the latest school districts in the desert to consider drastic cuts to its teaching staff, and on Tuesday, the board of education voted to start the process of laying off nearly more than 80 teachers, councilors and any other staff members with a teaching credential.

The board had until March 15 to notify certificated staff members that they could be laid off at the end of the school year, and on Tuesday the vote passed unanimously to move forward with the process.

Outside the meeting, teachers waved poster boards, calling on the public to help save their jobs.

“I’ll probably be around,” said Demitrious Sinor, a history teacher at Desert Hot Springs High School. “But in this turbulent atmosphere, you just never know.”

Board members joined the protest, devastated by the decision they say they had no choice but to make.

“Our hands are tied, because we have to balance our budget unlike Sacramento,” said Gary Jeandron, a board member.

The school district might cut 82.5 certified teaching positions if temporary income and sales taxes approved in 2008 are not extended this year.

Otherwise, public education will be cut another $2.3 billion.

Gov. Jerry Brown wants voters decide in a June special election.

The state legislature has until Thursday to approve the ballot measure.

“Raising our class sizes from 20 to 26 and now to 31 in fourth, second and third grade is going to be devastating for our students,” said Bev Bricker, the president of the Palm Springs Teachers Association. “Stressful for our students and for our teachers.”

Teachers say class sizes need to remain at manageable levels in order for students to remain competitive after high school.

“The reality is the time we spend with them in the classroom often times is more time than they actually spend with their own parents,” said Sinor.

The district is also considering reducing the school year by five weeks.

The amount of money spent on each student has already been cut by nearly $1,000 in the past four years.

This next round of cuts could slash the per student budget from anywhere between $350 and $1,000, dropping the per student budget below $5,000.

“We can’t fit more kids in our classroom,” said Lorri McCune, the superintendent. “The students literally won’t fit unless we remove all the desks. That’s how crowded our classrooms are.”

These cuts are not final until late May, and still the whole scenario could change if voters pass the tax extensions that could be on the ballot in June.