Local School Districts, Teachers Face Layoff Deadline
With lawmakers in Sacramento still squabbling over how to close the states remaining $15 billion budget deficit, school districts have to move ahead with plans for the next school year. That means planning for the worst-case scenario in funding, which translates into handing out lay-off notices.
When cut-backs are in the offing it’s state law that teachers receive their pink slips by May 15.
With the deadline days away, local school boards have done some slicing and dicing.
The Palm Springs Unified School District is currently looking at a $7.7 million dollar budget gap. In order to close it, 87 teachers will be issued lay-off notices. Also being eliminated: 17 support staff positions, which are primarily teachers aides. On top of that, an additional 38 employees will see their work hours reduced. These layoff decisions are based on the district losing $350 per student.
The Coachella Valley Unified School District is planning to issue its lay-off notices on Friday.
With school board approval still pending, the district is looking at a cut in 141 certified employees, including 70 elementary school teachers. The district is also bracing to cut loose 85 classified employees. Support personnel, like secretaries, custodians and bus drivers will also be cut.
CVUSD is projecting a $650 cut in state funding per student. The school district is looking at an $18 million deficit over the next 3 years that could grow if adequate state funding isn’t provided.
The Desert Sands Unified School District is attempting to make up for a possible $9 million in lost revenue for the 2011-2012 school year To help shore up the gap, as of March 15, the school board approved laying off 82 certificated employees, 3 fewer than what was originally anticipated.
Those numbers had included 53 K-12 teachers, 13 project teachers and 12 elementary counselors.
Once again the district is working with the unions in an effort to save jobs. For the current school year some cuts were avoided with employees agreeing to take 5 furlough days, two of which ended up being restored.
