EDITORIAL: Unchain schools to innovate
OUR VIEW: EDUCATION FUNDING, STANDARDS, CONTRACTS ALL NEED REVISION
The treacherous state school funding system has many local districts in tough, maybe impossible circumstances.
Unfortunately, besides hitting teachers, support staff and administrators, students will bear the brunt of the pain. Class sizes will grow, and in some cases, explode; and for the youngest pupils, the extra help they need with reading and math probably won't be available. And that's a shame, because cllass size makes a world of difference for students in the early grades.
One conclusion to draw is that we must loosen the chains around California public education ---- the funding restrictions, state standards and union contracts all need to be revised to allow schools to reinvent themselves.
The Oceanside Unified School District is a case in point.
The revenue the district expects to have next year (absent another miracle) is about $152 million ---- down from $161 million for the current school year and $172 million last year.
The board Tuesday tackled its ugly numbers, voting to approve "worst case" budget cuts next year that include ending school busing, eliminating about 50 positions (including the bus drivers, security guards and secretaries) and cutting support employees' work year by five days.
This worst case can be avoided only if the teachers are willing to share the pain with pay cuts and furloughs, too.
In February, OUSD Superintendent Larry Perondi said the district could save $11.8 million next year if every employee in the district would take a 5 percent pay cut, take five furlough days and pay more for health benefits. These are the cuts that the 67 administrators have already agreed to take.
Now it is up to the teachers.
And even under this plan, the district expects to see its average K-3 class size swell to an untenable 30 pupils per teacher and high school classes balloon to an average of 45 students per teacher.