Gary Moskowitz
Although the Glendale Unified School District faces a projected
$8-million deficit next school year, and personnel make up nearly 85%
of the district's costs, Supt. Michael Escalante does not plan to lay
off employees.
The new school chief's plan is to rely heavily on attrition, and
not replace most employees who retire or leave the district.
Attrition, combined with using about $3.1 million in district
reserve funds, will save the district from laying off employees,
Escalante said.
The school board will meet in closed session at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday
and will reconvene in open session at 5 p.m. at district
headquarters, 223 N. Jackson St.
"My goal is not to release anybody through layoffs," Escalante
said. "I am not going to do that. What reserves do is give you time.
And our goal is to preserve everything at the school site and look
away from school sites, at operations and support, to reduce costs.
"We're talking about across-the-board cuts to all divisions. The
idea is rather than telling everyone to cut a certain percentage, we
will evaluate each position and determine how important they are, but
we won't cut anybody."
The district is attempting to cut about $8 million from its
operating budget because of the statewide budget deficit.
Escalante is determined to maintain the district's class-size
reduction program, even though the program costs the district about
$2 million annually.
Board members have been vocal at recent board meetings about their
interest in keeping class-size reduction, which is a partially funded
program that keeps student-to-teacher ratios at no more than 20 to 1
in kindergarten through third grade, and in ninth-grade English and
math classes.
"My personal opinion is to retain class-size reduction, and
hopefully go the next step by making upper grades smaller if
possible," said Greg Krikorian, the board's vice president. "I still
feel confident there are other ways we can consolidate and reduce our
expenditures outside of the classrooms, like by consolidating the
district's main office."
Escalante already has established a "soft freeze" on personnel, so
no vacant position is automatically filled without district approval.
Escalante plans to reduce district office spending by about
$450,000, mainly through projected attrition and not filling open
positions. He said reducing operational costs like grounds
maintenance by about $750,000 is also attainable through attrition
and spending reductions.
