Schools face more layoffs

State budget proposals for the 2010/11 school year released in early February have many districts discussing likely impacts at monthly school board meetings.

Education is still in trouble despite the governor's promise to not take any more from education.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is keeping that promise. However, with state revenues down and federal stimulus money gone, many schools will be forced to get serious with their budget cuts.

There will be more teacher layoffs and possible program cuts as districts look into consolidating their costs, officials said.

For the Anderson Union High School District, it means $654,871 worth of reductions are needed.

The district has a projected revenue loss of $484,628 due to a drop in Average Daily Attendance (ADA) money.

The remaining $170,243 is part of the 2009-10 school year's deficit that was deferred and will be taken in to the 2010/11 year.

According to Tim Azevedo, superintendent for Anderson, class size will increase while programs will be downsized, but not cut. Specialty classes will not be offered unless student sign-ups demand them.

There will be teacher layoffs, but Azevedo said they will be few.

Down the road from the high school district office is the Cascade Union Elementary School District, and they too are experiencing their own fits with the latest round of budget cuts.

According to John Almond, the interim superintendent, even though the district is taking a revenue loss of $287,550, they are only having to layoff four teachers. He also said he is meeting with Donell Evan, the district's chief business official, to come up with other areas to save money from. Once those areas have been identified, they will be presented to the board, said Almond.

"With declining enrollment, it takes its toll," said Almond. He added that while the district is in good shape financially, reductions will have to come from all over, and the teacher layoffs are a part of it. He said you can't cut too many teachers or else you won't have a school.

Down the interstate at the Cottonwood Union School District, they are still looking at all of their options, trying to decide what areas to cut from, said Bob Lowden, the superintendent.

"My feeling is we've gone as deep as we can go, we can tweak a few things to help," said Lowden. Cottonwood is looking at a total revenue loss of about $212,000.

Right now the district is hoping teacher retirements will help offset part of the deficit; but if they do have teacher layoffs, they will be very minimal. According to Lowden the ADA loss will continue until the economy turns around.