Friday, January 15, 2010

Glendale News Press > Archives > Education > Educators to brace for losses


Glendale News Press > Archives > Education > Educators to brace for losses:

"GLENDALE — For local education officials, the sky keeps falling.

Glendale Unified School District expects a cut of up to $5.8 million, and Burbank Unified stands to lose $3 million annually, according to estimates from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s budget proposals unveiled Jan. 8.

“We’re looking at five years at least before we begin to think about getting back to what we were getting,” said Lori Ordway-Peck, Burbank Unified School District interim deputy superintendent. “And yet, we’re being asked to do more, achieve greater results and absorb higher costs of operation. Something’s got to give . . . public education is at a point where it cannot continue to do this.”

Factoring in the latest cuts steepens Glendale Unified’s projected deficit to almost $50 million in 2012-13, up from a previous estimate of $32 million. Burbank officials came into 2009-10 having made cuts to reach a balanced three-year budget, but will have to make additional cuts next year to close the $3-million annual loss."