Sunday, Mar. 09, 2008

Anxiety rising in schools as teachers watch districts strip budgets

Kathy Diederich was pregnant with her second child when she decided accounting was no longer for her.

Three days after giving birth, Diederich interviewed to enter a teacher credentialing program. She balanced term papers with late-night feedings and juggled studying for tests with diaper changes.

The Salida teacher, now in her sixth year teaching first grade at Mildred Perkins Elementary School, is expecting to receive a notice this week that her job is in danger.

"I would never pick another job," said Diederich, 42, before rounding up her students Thursday afternoon to read Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

"I think the frustrating part for me is ... you're in limbo and you're not sure what's going to happen. I feel I'm not protected."

Diederich and thousands of other California teachers are learning they might not have jobs next year, as school districts around the state react to Gov. Schwarzenegger's proposal to cut $4.8 billion in K-12 education funding. Educators say the cuts will have a big impact, from art and music electives to library books and sports programs.

At least 5,000 teachers statewide have received layoff notices, according to the California Teachers Association. Many more are expected before Saturday, the deadline for districts to notify teachers their jobs are in danger. Final layoff decisions will be made in May.

In a closed-session meeting Monday night, the Modesto City Schools Board of Education will consider issuing 41 temporary layoff notices to nearly all its district-level administrators.

$84 million at stake

EdSource, an independent, nonpartisan education research group based in Mountain View, called the billions in proposed cuts "the largest ever contemplated" for California's public schools.

In Stanislaus County, the cuts translate to $84 million in lost funds, or $750 less per student, said Don Gatti, the county Office of Education's assistant superintendent of business services.

The proposed cuts have put the county's school districts, more than half of them already weakened by declining enrollment, on alert.

"We're used to the ups and downs of this," Gatti said, "but the magnitude is almost insurmountable."

Even though the proposals are the starting point for what could be months of haggling in Sacramento, school administrators must begin formulating budget-slashing strategies now in order to approve a budget by June 30.

In school districts across Stanislaus County, nurses, counselors, teachers and custodians are at risk of having their positions cut. Administrators are freezing travel expenses and offering incentives for teachers to retire early. Some are looking into increasing class sizes or combining bus routes.

'Took a lot of heat'

Modesto City Schools' Board of Education approved $11.6 million in cuts last month, including eliminating junior high librarians, reducing nurse positions, and eliminating the college-preparatory AVID program for low-income and minority students at one junior high and four high schools.

The board endured a nearly three-hour tongue-lashing from about 700 people before voting on the cuts. They ultimately voted against cutting elementary and junior high music teachers and increasing kindergarten class sizes.

"We took a lot of heat," said Chris Flesuras, associate superintendent of human resources. "We just happened to (make our cuts) a week before everybody else. It's scary, really, because I think most districts aren't going to be able to make those kinds of cuts."