More California school districts on the financial brink

An increasing number of California school districts are edging closer to financial insolvency, state officials reported Tuesday.

One immediate effect has been the layoff of teachers — probably in the thousands, although neither state officials nor the California Teachers Assn. has final numbers.

Since the beginning of 2010, the number of school systems that may be “unable to meet future financial obligations” has increased by 38%, according to the state Department of Education.

“Schools on this list are now forced to make terrible decisions to cut programs and services that students need or face bankruptcy,” said state Supt. of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell.

Of the state’s 1,077 school districts, 14 are classified as in especially dire condition. They are not likely to avoid bankruptcy based on their current approved budgets. L.A. County has one such school system, the Lynwood Unified School District, officials said. Other districts in this category include Hayward Unified in Alameda County, Vallejo City Unified in Solano County and Natomas Unified in Sacramento County.

An additional 160 school systems have a “qualified” financial outlook, meaning they are at risk although probably not in danger of immediate bankruptcy. Districts in that situation in L.A. County include L.A. Unified, Burbank Unified, Culver City Unified, Glendale Unified, Inglewood Unified, Montebello Unified, Norwalk-La Mirada Unified, Pomona Unified, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified and South Pasadena Unified.

About 26,000 teachers received notice in March that they might be laid off, according to data collected by the CTA. At least 9,000 of these notices have been rescinded so far. Last year also brought teacher layoffs, leading to a decline of about 15,000 in the union membership. The state has about 300,000 teachers.

Non-teaching employees also have been hard hit. Thousands have lost jobs in Los Angeles Unified alone. Many of those still working have experienced pay cuts, while students have to deal with larger classes, a shorter school year and decreased services.

The education portion of the current budget proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger could result in additional layoffs, although other sectors of governments have faced even steeper cuts.

-- Howard Blume

Comments

[J.H Brown]

LAUSD needs to stop wasting money on consulting fees, buy outs, and hiring friends. Cortines, management, and the corrupt board members need to take a 20% pay cut. Furthermore, these people need to put in a hiring free on all management positions.

[Robert]

Average teacher salary in CA. is $70,430.per NEA.
Grossly overpaid for not even 9 months work.
Cut all salaries by 10%, and not a single layoff would be necesaary.

[Loretta]

Teacher are NOT grossly overpaid. I am inclined to argue the opposite. A new teacher's salary begins, roughly, at 40K. Teachers who earn 70K or better are either those with MAs or PhDs or those with BAs and 20 or more years of service.

Teachers are required to report at the beginning of September to mid-June. Additionally, some, if not most, are required to attend Professional Development Institutes over the summer -- some at their own cost. Furthermore, many school supplies are purchased by the teacher. This may include: writing utensils; paper; construction paper; toner for the printer; needed books and a plethora of other supplies. (Teachers are NOT reimbursed for their efforts.)

Clearly, teachers are not overpaid when so much of what is earned spent to service the educational needs of the students.

[BOB DAVIS]

Poor folks should demand that th eDemocrats support vouchers for private school education for poor kids. The monopoly public system is broken and cannot be fixed. Unions are killing them and sorry politicians like Obama will not do anything about it as Unions financed his campaign also. Disgusting. Vote Republican. They will try to get vouchers if they have the majority.