573 Santa Ana teachers to receive layoff notices
Santa Ana Unified School District's class-size reduction also faces elimination.
By FERMIN LEAL
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Comments 23 Recommend 8
SANTA ANA – Up to 573 Santa Ana Unified teachers will receive layoff notices next month and the cash-strapped district may also increase dozens of elementary and high school class sizes from 20 to 30 or more students.
The school board voted late Tuesday to issue the layoff notices as part of an effort to trim $27 million more from the district's budget.
The teaching positions are mostly tied to the state's class-size reduction program, which district staff said might not be funded next school year because of the state's ongoing budget crisis.
Santa Ana Unified has classes limited to 20 students in every first- through third-grade classroom, and in all ninth-grade English and math classes.
"It's definitely a huge number of people we will be noticing," said trustee Audrey Yamagat-Noji. "But it doesn't necessarily mean we will be losing 573 people. A lot still has to happen before we actually have to finalize things."
School districts are required by law by March 15 to notify teachers who might be laid off at the end of the school year. Districts normally aim high to have flexibility when working out next year's budget.
By summer, the state budget is usually more settled, and districts know how many staffers are leaving through retirement or job change. That's when actual firings take place. Many of those given notice in March end up keeping their jobs.
Juan Lopez, the district's director of human resources, said the layoffs will hinge on whether the state funds the class-size reduction program at the same rate as in previous years.
If layoffs occur, teachers would be chosen by their seniority level, not by which teaching assignments they have, district staff said. For example, a teacher high on the seniority list that is assigned to the class-size reduction program would be reassigned to another subject or grade, while a teacher low on the seniority list would lose his or her job.
It's still unclear how much the potential job cuts will save the district, said spokesperson Angela Burrell. Officials in Santa Ana Unified cut $14 million, mostly in administrative and facilities costs, from the budget before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled his budget proposal for next year.
Under the governor's proposal, district officials said they would have to cut $27 million more to avoid a deficit to the district's $450 million annual budget.
Contact the writer: 714-445-6687 or fleal@ocregister.com
By FERMIN LEAL
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Comments 23 Recommend 8
SANTA ANA – Up to 573 Santa Ana Unified teachers will receive layoff notices next month and the cash-strapped district may also increase dozens of elementary and high school class sizes from 20 to 30 or more students.
The school board voted late Tuesday to issue the layoff notices as part of an effort to trim $27 million more from the district's budget.
The teaching positions are mostly tied to the state's class-size reduction program, which district staff said might not be funded next school year because of the state's ongoing budget crisis.
Santa Ana Unified has classes limited to 20 students in every first- through third-grade classroom, and in all ninth-grade English and math classes.
"It's definitely a huge number of people we will be noticing," said trustee Audrey Yamagat-Noji. "But it doesn't necessarily mean we will be losing 573 people. A lot still has to happen before we actually have to finalize things."
School districts are required by law by March 15 to notify teachers who might be laid off at the end of the school year. Districts normally aim high to have flexibility when working out next year's budget.
By summer, the state budget is usually more settled, and districts know how many staffers are leaving through retirement or job change. That's when actual firings take place. Many of those given notice in March end up keeping their jobs.
Juan Lopez, the district's director of human resources, said the layoffs will hinge on whether the state funds the class-size reduction program at the same rate as in previous years.
If layoffs occur, teachers would be chosen by their seniority level, not by which teaching assignments they have, district staff said. For example, a teacher high on the seniority list that is assigned to the class-size reduction program would be reassigned to another subject or grade, while a teacher low on the seniority list would lose his or her job.
It's still unclear how much the potential job cuts will save the district, said spokesperson Angela Burrell. Officials in Santa Ana Unified cut $14 million, mostly in administrative and facilities costs, from the budget before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled his budget proposal for next year.
Under the governor's proposal, district officials said they would have to cut $27 million more to avoid a deficit to the district's $450 million annual budget.
Contact the writer: 714-445-6687 or fleal@ocregister.com
Labels: California, layoffs, Santa Ana
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