Redwood City School Board Approves Teacher Cuts (CA)
June 24, 2010
Class sizes will go up for a second year in a row in the Redwood City School District after trustees approved a budget Wednesday night that includes pink slips for 35 teachers.
The $7.1 million in cuts approved 5-0 by the school board to balance the $72.6 million budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year will also result in the shortening of the upcoming school year by five days to save money on staff salaries.
Trustees said they had little choice but to cut positions as they face an estimated $1.9 million in state funding cuts and the loss of $4.7 million in one-time federal stimulus dollars that helped prevent deeper reductions last year.
Officials say the combination of job cuts, larger class sizes and the shortened school year made the budget situation the worst they’ve seen.
"This is my seventh budget and this is by far the hardest budget we’ve ever done," Board President Dennis McBride said.
In total, the board voted to eliminate the equivalent of about 60 full-time positions — only a few of which are vacant — including 20 classroom teachers in grades K-3, four teachers in fourth- through eighth grades, three International Baccalaureate teachers and two music teachers. The 9,000-student district has about 840 employees.
With fewer teachers, the district will increase class sizes to 30 students in grades K-3; they currently range from 22 to 28 students depending on grade. Class sizes for grades four through eight, currently at 31, will go up to 32 students.
Other position cuts include several administrators, two psychologists, about five instructional aides, five custodians, and three library aides. The cuts will result in a reduced music program and less teacher development.
"Unfortunately, I think we’ll be here again," said Trustee Shelly Masur, "and an entire of generation of children are going to be harmed by what the state has brought on public education and its lack of commitment to the children."
Teachers union President Bret Baird said it’s possible the state funding picture could improve and some could get their jobs back before the school year starts.
But, "being in limbo is terrible in education, because if you’re a teacher you need a break to recharge your batteries," he said.
Trustees praised the teachers union for agreeing to a con tract earlier this year that will cut five school days and one staff development day out of the school year, a 3 percent pay cut that will save an estimated $1.1 million per year. Managers also agreed to a pay cut.
The final number of pink slips issued was much less severe than earlier projections that called for laying off 100 teachers. Still, "This is the worst I’ve ever seen it," said Julietta Efigenio, a kindergarten teacher at Hawes Elementary who has been with the district for 19 years.
Last year, the district made $5.5 million in cuts that included laying off 33 first-year teachers and increasing class sizes.
The district educates a challenging population: 48 percent of its students are English language learners and 61 percent are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. It already has the lowest per-pupil funding of the eight districts that feed into the Sequoia Union High School District.
"The kids who need the most are getting the least," Baird said.