Whittier : Schools May Cut 26 Jobs

The superintendent of the Whittier Union High School District has proposed cutting nearly $1 million from the 1988-89 budget, resulting in the layoff of 26 employees.

The $955,000 cut from a $40-million budget “will bring the district out of its current deficit-spending mode,” Supt. Lee Eastwood said. He recommended eliminating the jobs of 9 administrators, 13 secretaries, maintenance and support workers, 2 psychologists and 2 counselors. The proposed cuts will not increase class size, he said.

The district’s income is tied to the number of students enrolled, and Eastwood said the cuts are necessary to prepare for drops in enrollment expected through 1990. Last year, the board voted to cut $625,000 from the budget for the same reason.

The school board will vote on the cuts in late February.