School Districts Warn of Even Deeper Teacher Cuts
By TAMAR LEWIN and SAM DILLON
Published: April 20, 2010
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The districts have no choice, they say, because their usual sources of revenue — state money and local property taxes — have been hit hard by therecession. In addition, federal stimulus money earmarked for education has been mostly used up this year.
As a result, the 2010-11 school term is shaping up as one of the most austere in the last half century. In addition to teacher layoffs, districts are planning to close schools, cut programs, enlarge class sizes and shorten the school day, week or year to save money.
“We are doing things and considering options I never thought I’d have to consider,” said Peter C. Gorman, superintendent of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools in North Carolina, who expects to cut 600 of the district’s 9,400 teachers this year, after laying off 120 last