School district will make hard choices on the budget

At a meeting that ended with tears from Conejo Elementary teachers and secondary level counselors and their supporters, the Conejo Valley Unified School Board approved another round of cuts in the wake of more bad news coming from the state Legislature.

Class size in kindergarten through third grade will be increased, and four middle and high school counselors will be laid off.

At an earlier meeting on April 15, the board approved the first phase in a plan to cut $5 million from the budget, beginning with the elimination of five district management positions, which will save the district $460,000, and cutting 20 percent of the district office's discretionary budgets, which will save $503,000.

Out of the "rainy day" fund, which contains $4 million above the required 3 percent reserves, $2 million will be taken.

Another $2 million in "hard cuts" was approved at Tuesday night's meeting. By increasing kindergarten through third grade class size from 20 to 22, the district will save the money from 26 teacher salaries, totaling $620,000. In addition, the board's vote to increase class size in eighth through 10th grade math and English classes eliminates nine teacher positions and saves $600,000.

The board cannot choose which teachers to lay off—that's based on seniority. Longtime teachers can be let go only if they work in specialized programs. Because the Open Classrooms program at Conejo Elementary School is considered applicable, four of its teachers have been pink-slipped and, with the significant increase in class sizes, face the possibility of being laid off.

Parents and teachers from the Open Classrooms showed their support for the program, and a few spoke to the board.

Neil Potter has two kids in Open Classrooms.

"I've seen them grow and blossom in the environment they're in," Potter said. "It would be a great loss to cut any of the teachers in that program. I think it's one of your finest. I worry about all the kids in those classrooms. I think it would be a tragedy."

But Dep. Superintendent Jeff Baarstad said they've reached the point where cutbacks are necessary. "We're facing such monumental cuts, class size has to be part of the conversation," he said.

Four middle school or high school counseling positions were also eliminated, saving $440,000.

Nearly seven classified positions from the district office and at school sites will be cut, totaling $410,000. Baarstad said they're looking into cutting all classified jobs from eight to seven hours, or from 12 months to 11 months, so everyone will see reduced salaries but no one will be "put out on the street."

At the April 15 meeting, trustees also passed summer contingency cuts, which are being organized in case the state makes more cuts while the board is on break from regular meetings.

If needed, an additional $3 million will come from $1 million more in hard cuts and another $2 million from reserves.

At Tuesday's meeting, the board approved an agreement that would bring in the $1 million from a two-day reduction in the work year for all employees. The shorter work year represents about a 1 percent salary reduction across the board and would actually bring in closer to $1.13 million.

"We have an agreement with all the major labor associations," Baarstad said. "There won't be any impact on the school year, just a reduction in salary for all district employees."

The plan was recommended by the newly formed budget committee, which includes Baarstad, principals, board members and representatives from teachers and classified employees unions.

The school board passed the cuts unanimously, 5-0, and they will take effect July 1.