Budgets coming into focus for Empire, Salida school districts

Weeks before Gov. Schwarzenegger is set to release his May budget revision for 2008-09, school districts across the state are getting a clearer picture about potential layoffs.

Empire Union School District's outlook appears less bleak after a larger-than-expected number of teachers decided to take an early retirement incentive. Trustees also have directed administrators to use reserves to help stave off deep cuts, Superintendent Bob Price said.

To meet the state-mandated March 15 deadline to give teachers notice of possible layoffs, Empire officials said they needed to send pink slips to 14 teachers and two vice principals. At a special board meeting last week, officials rescinded those notices.

The district also is surviving on savings from a freeze in spending this spring.

The cuts proposed in March would have stripped Empire's two junior high schools of most of their elective programs. Trustees decided against that, and officials are building a 2008-09 budget based on less-severe cuts from the state, Price said.

"I think the (state) cuts will not be as bad as we initially thought," he said.

At next week's board of trustees meeting, Price said, staff will propose more detailed cuts for 2008-09 that will reach across the district. Fewer than 10 classified positions will be cut, Price guessed. Classified employees include bus drivers, custodians and administrative assistants.

Districts are required to give classified workers notice of a possible layoff by May 15.

Salida Union School District officials are looking at a different picture. They haven't had the number of retirements or resignations Empire has. One teacher resigned, and two teachers, one classified employee and one district office administrator retired, Superintendent Antonio Borba said.

By eliminating positions or reducing the number of hours or days of work for 43 classified positions, Salida Union officials hope to save $236,000. For example, one health clerk will go from working five hours a day to three, and a child development secretary will go from working 251 days a year to 241, according to a district proposal.

Those areas include health clerks, a district office receptionist, and many Head Start teachers and aides.

Some of those employees, such as at the Head Start program, are funded through state or federal grants administrators aren't sure they will receive next year. Those people will be rehired if the grant money is available, Borba said.

Officials also anticipate cutting $671,000 through teacher layoffs. Seventeen positions are on the chopping block, including 10 elementary teaching positions, one physical education teaching spot and an academic coach.

Trustees will consider approving the reductions at a special meeting at 7 p.m. today in the Salida Middle School cafeteria, 5041 Toomes Road.

Bee staff writer Michelle Hatfield can be reached at mhatfield@modbee.com or 578-2339.