Budget Cuts Could Mean Teacher Layoffs
Tulsa - Big changes could be coming to Tulsa classrooms.
Budget cuts are forcing administrators to make-do with 200 less teachers, meaning bigger classes in the fall.
Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard addressed a room full of teachers at a meeting Monday night. They sat listening to his every word as he talked of their futures in the Tulsa school district.
"It is my absolute goal that no one loose their job on an involuntary basis," Ballard said.
So far, roughly 100 teachers are expected to retire or leave voluntarily, leaving another 120 positions to vacate.
"We may find other ways to reduce the budget to make up for most of those. We will most certainly have more through attrition."
The loss of teachers would translate to a larger classroom, to the tune of two or three students.
"You cant say, 'Oh, you are only going to have two or three more in your class."
President of the Tulsa Classroom Association Lynn Stockley says that the numbers may seem small, but the impact is anything but.
"One of my big concerns is class size. I can tell you already that it's a little misleading, the figures in the paper, when we say the class size is going to go up from 24 to 27 in a high school. I can assure you that we already have a lot of high school teachers that are already sitting there with 27
Budget cuts are forcing administrators to make-do with 200 less teachers, meaning bigger classes in the fall.
Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard addressed a room full of teachers at a meeting Monday night. They sat listening to his every word as he talked of their futures in the Tulsa school district.
"It is my absolute goal that no one loose their job on an involuntary basis," Ballard said.
So far, roughly 100 teachers are expected to retire or leave voluntarily, leaving another 120 positions to vacate.
"We may find other ways to reduce the budget to make up for most of those. We will most certainly have more through attrition."
The loss of teachers would translate to a larger classroom, to the tune of two or three students.
"You cant say, 'Oh, you are only going to have two or three more in your class."
President of the Tulsa Classroom Association Lynn Stockley says that the numbers may seem small, but the impact is anything but.
"One of my big concerns is class size. I can tell you already that it's a little misleading, the figures in the paper, when we say the class size is going to go up from 24 to 27 in a high school. I can assure you that we already have a lot of high school teachers that are already sitting there with 27
Sarah Blincoe races in a time-trial in her walker.
