School budget cuts should start at the top
It’s a sobering proposition to understand that cuts at the San
Benito High School District to fill a $1.8 million deficit are only
round two, and more reductions are likely to come in years to
follow unless the state finally gets its magic wand working.
School budget cuts should start at the top
It’s a sobering proposition to understand that cuts at the San Benito High School District to fill a $1.8 million deficit are only round two, and more reductions are likely to come in years to follow unless the state finally gets its magic wand working.
That preliminary list released two weeks ago by Superintendent Stan Rose, however, doesn’t do enough as it can in the short term to preserve the school’s quality of education in the classroom. Now it is incumbent upon the five elected trustees to search for alternatives to cutting teachers and others with a direct impact on students.
A good place to start is at the top.
Of the $1.5 million in cuts – the district would pull $300,000 from reserves to fill the gap – the “unrepresented” employees, including administration, would take the lightest hit, a total of $167,000. Under these circumstances, it’s almost like a tap to the shoulder when everyone else is getting socked in the mouth.
The proposal does wisely include pay cuts for unrepresented employees, saving about $42,000, while teachers are absorbing wage reductions as well, totaling $105,000. But of the 18 positions proposed for elimination, just one full-time job fits into the unrepresented category, the supervisor of alternative education for a savings of $78,000. The only administration position on the block is a half-time administrative assistant role, which is vacant, in the superintendent’s office.
The proposal does signify an effort to veer away from reducing the effect in the classroom, such as ideas to cut a custodian position and a call to cut department budgets by a total of $40,000.
Unfortunately, it also brings to light the outdated mentality in San Benito County – and not just at the high school district – that we need a more-than-healthy number of administration roles to keep the wheels of education turning.
At the high school district, meanwhile, trustees should take a closer look at unrepresented roles that they either could eliminate or consolidate.
This is a signal, meanwhile, that in a county with 11 school districts, it’s an appropriate time for leaders throughout the community to commission a serious, independent study with options for some level of district consolidation.
Or this structurally messy situation will only get worse for a long time to come.
