School District Budget Calls for Lay-Off of Nearly 70 Teachers (CO)

June 8, 2010

Nearly 70 teachers will lose their jobs as part of about $14 million in cutbacks contained in the Jefferson County School District budget approved by the Board of Education late Thursday night.

The board voted 4-1 to approve a $969.59 million dollar 2010/2011 school year budget that includes $661.7 million in operating expenses and spending $36 million of the district’s $137 million reserve fund. The reserves will offset a revenue shortfall. The district expects to collect about $625 million in revenues in the budget year. The budget also includes a two-tiered pay increase for teachers.  (Read about the pay package.)

In addition to the teachers who will lose their jobs, more than 60 other district employees will be laid off, including administrators, assistant principals, bus drivers, secretaries and technicians.

The vote to approve the budget came after hours of public comment, much of which centered on the layoffs of teachers, a cutback that will increase class sizes across the district, while handing out raises to those who will retain their jobs.

“I won’t be voting for this because of three reasons: kids, kids and kids,” said Board member Laura Boggs, who cast the lone vote against the financial package.

“We will have larger class sizes” because of the layoffs Boggs said, asking how that promotes the district’s mission to boost student achievement.

A number of district residents echoed that position, including Linda Sasenick, who said the teachers unions are dictating the board’s direction.

“More and more, we disagree on what’s best for the children. Why grant pay increases but cut staff and increase class size,” she asked. “The tail is wagging the dog. When are the children and the taxpayers going to have a seat at the (bargaining) table?”

Lakewood resident Natalie Menten said the school district’s payroll is top-heavy and protested the pay increase, saying it is unwise “in this economy.”

“The district and the union are not seeing what is happening out there,” Menten said.

But teacher Louis Cisneros, who also is a former Jeffco student, said the pay package was “put together with a minimum of antagonism” and represents a “good faith” effort that “strikes the best balance available.”

Cisneros said the package would help teachers and other district employees cope with the increasing cost of living.

Dr. Cindy Stevenson, district superintendent, said teachers have been coping with the escalating cost of health insurance, up as much as 12.5 percent this year, and the pay increase would go largely to help defer those costs. It is the fifth consecutive year of rising health costs of the health plans without any increase in the district’s contribution to the benefit plan.

“Our employees have absorbed those costs,” Stevenson said, adding that the rising price of health protections hits hardest at those employees with families.

Lori Gillis, the district’s chief financial officer, said the board decided a few years ago to build up its reserves as a ‘rainy-day” fund after persuading voters to override terms of a previous bond election. The idea was to spend the extra reserve funds to stave off further budget cuts.

“We have saved for a rainy day and that rainy day is here,” Gillis said.