SCHOOL BOARD ATTEMPTS TO SAVE TEACHER JOBS - JUNE 22, 2011
San Diego
The San Diego school board is scrambling to keep teachers employed next year through last-ditch efforts to cancel layoff notices — a little more than a week before it must adopt a final budget.
On Tuesday, Superintendent Bill Kowba presented the latest version of the budget for the San Diego Unified School District, a spending plan that has been severely cut to cope with the state's fiscal crisis. The budget comes with $114 million in cost-cutting measures — including the elimination of 808 teaching positions and 604 other jobs — to balance next year's $1.04 billion operating budget.
The teachers union dismissed a proposal that would save jobs by postponing negotiated pay raises, saying the plan undermines the concessions that its some 7,000 teachers already agreed to — including furlough days.
Trustees agreed to salvage its elementary school music program with about $1.3 million in energy savings it stands to get from a new solar panel system next year, and about $300,000 it will save by eliminating two area superintendent positions. That means every elementary school will continue to offer instrumental music lessons, and two magnet schools — Oak Park and Crown Point — will each keep a full-time music teacher.
The district budget relies on the state's May budget proposal, an uncertain document itself since legislators are at odds over California's finances. Should the district receive $36 million in additional revenue once a state budget is approved, the board voted to use that money to restore about 300 teaching jobs and prevent spikes in class size through grade three. Trustees also agreed to use that money to cancel plans to eliminate 100 nonteaching jobs and restore money for some magnet schools and other programs. The board is set to vote on a final budget Tuesday.
Maureen Magee • U-T
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