Empire seeks public's help in identifying school cuts

In Empire schools next year, not even an extra coffee pot will be safe.

From pulling plugs on classroom refrigerators and coffee pots to cutting counselors and music programs, the Empire Union School District's board of trustees heard suggestions large and small Monday night to close an estimated $2.8 million budget shortfall.

District officials expect to slash about 12 percent of the $23 million budget in light of Gov. Schwarz- enegger's grim budget proposal last month to cut billions in state education funding over 18 months.

Empire will lose $767,000 next year because of declining enrollment. The district's enrollment has dropped more than 15 percent in five years. This year, the district enrolls less than 3,500 Empire and east Modesto students.

The 100 people in the audience saw a PowerPoint presentation depicting what 10 percent cuts in each department might look like, including cutting counselors and classroom supplies and doing away with a 1-to-20 teacher-to-student ratio in kindergarten through third grades.

As they streamed out of Hughes Elementary School, audience members were given sheets of paper with phone numbers, e-mails and addresses of area legislators. Board members urged them to lobby local lawmakers against the cuts.

"What's going on now in California education is insane," board member Nicholas Bavaro fumed. "I don't know where their priorities are, but they're not in education."

Bavaro said Empire would have to be nearing bankruptcy before he voted to cut music programs or increase class sizes in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms.

Pamela Wall, assistant superintendent of business services, said no schools would close next year, but the district may look at shutting down a campus as early as fall 2009.

Superintendent Bob Price said he expects about 15 full-time teacher or administrator positions will be cut. The district is offering an early retirement incentive program this year.

Districts have until March 15 to warn some employees about anticipated layoffs. Price sent an e-mail to staff Friday about the district's predicament.

The last reduction in teaching staff came during 2002-03, but enough people retired or left the district so that no one had to be laid off, Price said.

"It becomes really hard to sleep at night this time of year," said board member Stacie Morales.

Empire Teachers Association Vice President Marj Whinery said she's scratching her head over the decision to open Glick Middle School in 2003 given the sharp declining enrollment trend.

"Looking back, they should have known the decline was coming," Whinery said.

Parent Clifford Mitchell said he knows where the cuts should start -- at the top.

"The district office needs to cut and the board needs to take a cut," Mitchell said. "You've got to show the schools individually that we're going to take a cut, so you will too."

Bee staff writer Merrill Balassone can be reached at mbalassone@modbee.com or 578-2337.