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BCSD OKs plan to cut 120 jobs

BY JORGE BARRIENTOS, Californian staff writer
jbarrientos@bakersfield.com | Tuesday, Feb 23 2010 09:56 PM

Last Updated Tuesday, Feb 23 2010 09:56 PM

Bakersfield City School District has lost roughly $25 million from its budget in the last two years. During that time, while falling back on federal help and reserve funds, it's managed to save teachers' jobs.

On Tuesday night, the largest elementary school district in the state could hold out no longer when the school board approved a proposal to cut the equivalent of 120 full-time positions, mostly teachers, as it tries to close a $5.5 million cut from next year's budget.

"This is the worst time I've ever seen," said Superintendent Michael Lingo, who worked in local schools for 40 years. "This is a last resort."

The decision, which translates to about three positions lost for each of the district's 41 school sites, was made in front of a standing room only crowd of teachers, administrators, parents and community members. Some voiced their concerns.

Cynthia Norris, president of the Downtown Elementary School's site council, said the school has decided to combine classes because of budget cuts. And the school risks losing "one of its most promising teachers."

Compton Junior High teacher Jennifer Scott told the board the school has lost its academic coach, counselor and librarian. Students and teachers, she said, will suffer because of larger classes and fewer staff.

Teaching position cuts would make class sizes larger by an average of one extra student per class, according to BCSD. Teachers, disagree with those figures.

Speakers, however, also offered some solutions.

Norris said the district could admit students currently on the school's waiting list, which would give the school more money from the state. Scott said the district should demand federal and state officials to halt No Child Left Behind mandates as schools struggle with cuts.

In response to Scott's request, Lingo told media after the meeting, "I've not been very successful in telling the federal government what to do."

Board president Lillian Tafoya said the school board has the "best interest of students, and sometimes hard decisions have to be made."

"We'll do our very best," Tafoya said.

The district already decided earlier this month to stop using money from its general fund to pay for positions including counselors, librarians and vice principals. School site councils, however, can save some positions using special school-specific funds.

The school board also approved a retirement incentive plan that would pay retirees 75 percent of their annual salary in the form of annuity. The more people who retire, the more jobs it'll save, Lingo said. He called the decision "history making."

Usually, about 50 employees retire from the district each year.

"We're hoping to double that number," Lingo told the media following the meeting.

Before the meeting outside of the boardroom, teachers along with Bakersfield Elementary Teachers Association officials wearing red held up signs to express their various concerns on things like contract negotiations, budget cuts and district standards on placing teachers on administrative leave after student accusations. Their signs read: "Cuts hurt kids," "Settle our contract now," and "Falsely accused."

BETA President Brad Barns said contract negotiations are under way, and then the district "dropped this layoff bomb." Negotiations continue this week.

Budget outlooks are being described by local school leaders as some of the worst in recent years.

School districts throughout the state and county are having to make layoff decisions in anticipation of the March 15 pink slip deadline. Final budgets are due in June.

Fruitvale School District held a budget workshop Tuesday afternoon to figure out how it can close a $2 million budget deficit in the next two years. Assuming the proposal stays as is, Kern High School District will have to cut $8.7 million from its budget. Rosedale Union School District is looking to cut close to $1 million.

So far, BCSD has been able to operate without layoffs using reserve funds. The district, Lingo said, has been trimming since 2002 by eliminating such positions as office assistants and custodians.

Fourteen positions have been cut from the district office in the last two years, Lingo said. But 95 percent of employees are at school sites. That's where cuts now have to be made, he said.

"We don't take any pleasure in this. These are difficult decisions," Lingo said. "We regret it. It's the worse possible time for us."