Santa Monica Board OKs Sending of 50 School Layoff Notices

The Santa Monica-Malibu Board of Education voted 5 to 1 Tuesday night to send layoff notices to six librarians and 44 teachers in a move to reduce a $1.7-million deficit in the 1986-87 budget. The action is part of a wide range of emergency measures considered this week by the board, which hopes to reduce the deficit by $1.1 million.

Board member Robert Holbrook voted against the layoff plan and Della Barrett abstained.

Scheduled to receive notices are 25 tenured and probationary teachers and 19 temporary teachers. Temporary teachers are hired each year to replace teachers on leave. The board also decided to cut six of seven elementary-school librarians.

By state law, the district must send notices by March 15 with layoffs effective in September. If the district’s financial situation improves, it can rescind the layoffs.

The board Monday also adopted a hiring freeze and restricted overtime. It directed the district staff to reduce or eliminate funding for extra elective classes in the junior high schools and to withdraw $40,000 in support for the district’s program for gifted students.