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O.C. schools to slash millions more this week
By FERMIN LEAL
2009-12-07 16:56:24
Many already cash-strapped school districts across Orange County will decide this week whether to further increase class sizes, eliminate hundreds more jobs, again cut music and arts programs, close another school, and scores of other budget cuts.
Those are some of the tough decisions facing school boards from some of the county's 27 districts as they are set to vote again on millions in cuts as the ongoing state budget crisis continues to worsen.
State law requires school districts to submit by Dec. 15 budget projections to the county Department of Education for the current school year, along with the following two years.
This latest round of budget cuts is prompted primarily by the state budget revise approved in July after school districts passed their own budgets in June.
"Districts in Orange County are going to have to make some real tough decisions," county Superintendent William Habermehl said. "Our schools have already cut to the bone. It's just getting harder and harder to find places to cut from."
Districts need to submit balanced budget projections to receive a "positive" certification from the county. Districts submitting budgets with forecasted deficits receive "qualified" or "negative" certifications, meaning they are unsure they can meet their financial obligations going forward.
Orange Unified trustees, looking to cut $16 million, will decide Thursday whether to shutter Riverdale Elementary, along with other cuts including eliminating funding for sports transportation, increasing the bus pass fee by $60, eliminating busing for GATE students, eliminating elementary instrumental music programs, cutting elementary summer school, increasing class sizes and laying off staff.
In Anaheim City School District, trustees will consider a proposed $15 million in cuts. They include eliminating 209 jobs in all. About 150 of those classified personnel, nine teachers, 11 vice principals and 11 psychologists. Other likely cuts include increasing kindergarten class sizes from 20 to 28 students, five furlough days for employees, and moving schools to a single calendar.
In Brea-Olinda Unified School District, the school board tonight will consider about $2 million in cuts. The list includes eliminating eight elementary and 13 high school teaching positions, custodial positions, as well as positions in information technology, accounting and in the district office. Funding for athletic teams could also be reduced.
Capistrano Unified School District ? Orange County's second-largest ? is grappling with how to cut $25.1 million. It has identified $11.4 million in possible cuts for 2010-11, including larger class sizes in the first grade and slashing all funding for sports, extracurricular activities, elementary school music programs and the college-level International Baccalaureate programs in high schools. But even if the district made all of the cuts identified so far, it would still face a $13.7 million deficit.
Irvine Unified School District, facing a $14.7 million deficit, will not finalize any cuts this week, spokesman Ian Hanigan said. The district plans to submit a qualified budget to the county next week because officials were unable to identify all the cuts.
"This means that we have a lot of hard work ahead of us," Hanigan said. Trustees in Irvine Unified plan to discuss potential budget cuts during their meeting Tuesday.
Trustees in Santa Ana Unified School District, the county's largest, plan to cut on Tuesday $17.1 million from the budget. The district needs to cut a combined $30 million, so officials also plan to submit a qualified budget. More cuts will be indentified in coming weeks, officials said.
Facing a $26 million shortfall, Saddleback Valley Unified School District also plans to submit a qualified budget after the board meeting Tuesday.
La Habra City School District trustees met last week and decided to put off any budget cuts until later this year. The district will also submit a qualified budget.
Districts will again submit projections in the spring, after the governor releases the preliminary state budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year. Many educators said they expected to have to make another round of cuts by then, especially following news that the state could face another $21 billion deficit.
Last school year, the county's 27 districts cut a combined $200 from their budgets. Hundreds of teachers and other staff lost their jobs, while scores of programs were slashed.
Register staff writers Scott Martindale and Lou Ponsi contributed to this report.
O.C. schools to slash millions more this week
By FERMIN LEAL
2009-12-07 16:56:24
Many already cash-strapped school districts across Orange County will decide this week whether to further increase class sizes, eliminate hundreds more jobs, again cut music and arts programs, close another school, and scores of other budget cuts.
Those are some of the tough decisions facing school boards from some of the county's 27 districts as they are set to vote again on millions in cuts as the ongoing state budget crisis continues to worsen.
State law requires school districts to submit by Dec. 15 budget projections to the county Department of Education for the current school year, along with the following two years.
This latest round of budget cuts is prompted primarily by the state budget revise approved in July after school districts passed their own budgets in June.
"Districts in Orange County are going to have to make some real tough decisions," county Superintendent William Habermehl said. "Our schools have already cut to the bone. It's just getting harder and harder to find places to cut from."
Districts need to submit balanced budget projections to receive a "positive" certification from the county. Districts submitting budgets with forecasted deficits receive "qualified" or "negative" certifications, meaning they are unsure they can meet their financial obligations going forward.
Orange Unified trustees, looking to cut $16 million, will decide Thursday whether to shutter Riverdale Elementary, along with other cuts including eliminating funding for sports transportation, increasing the bus pass fee by $60, eliminating busing for GATE students, eliminating elementary instrumental music programs, cutting elementary summer school, increasing class sizes and laying off staff.
In Anaheim City School District, trustees will consider a proposed $15 million in cuts. They include eliminating 209 jobs in all. About 150 of those classified personnel, nine teachers, 11 vice principals and 11 psychologists. Other likely cuts include increasing kindergarten class sizes from 20 to 28 students, five furlough days for employees, and moving schools to a single calendar.
In Brea-Olinda Unified School District, the school board tonight will consider about $2 million in cuts. The list includes eliminating eight elementary and 13 high school teaching positions, custodial positions, as well as positions in information technology, accounting and in the district office. Funding for athletic teams could also be reduced.
Capistrano Unified School District ? Orange County's second-largest ? is grappling with how to cut $25.1 million. It has identified $11.4 million in possible cuts for 2010-11, including larger class sizes in the first grade and slashing all funding for sports, extracurricular activities, elementary school music programs and the college-level International Baccalaureate programs in high schools. But even if the district made all of the cuts identified so far, it would still face a $13.7 million deficit.
Irvine Unified School District, facing a $14.7 million deficit, will not finalize any cuts this week, spokesman Ian Hanigan said. The district plans to submit a qualified budget to the county next week because officials were unable to identify all the cuts.
"This means that we have a lot of hard work ahead of us," Hanigan said. Trustees in Irvine Unified plan to discuss potential budget cuts during their meeting Tuesday.
Trustees in Santa Ana Unified School District, the county's largest, plan to cut on Tuesday $17.1 million from the budget. The district needs to cut a combined $30 million, so officials also plan to submit a qualified budget. More cuts will be indentified in coming weeks, officials said.
Facing a $26 million shortfall, Saddleback Valley Unified School District also plans to submit a qualified budget after the board meeting Tuesday.
La Habra City School District trustees met last week and decided to put off any budget cuts until later this year. The district will also submit a qualified budget.
Districts will again submit projections in the spring, after the governor releases the preliminary state budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year. Many educators said they expected to have to make another round of cuts by then, especially following news that the state could face another $21 billion deficit.
Last school year, the county's 27 districts cut a combined $200 from their budgets. Hundreds of teachers and other staff lost their jobs, while scores of programs were slashed.
Register staff writers Scott Martindale and Lou Ponsi contributed to this report.