Slim Budget Prompts a ‘Cut List’ for L.A. Schools

Facing the biggest cash crisis since California voters passed tax-slashing Proposition 13 in 1978, Los Angeles Unified School District officials on Monday recommended ways to cut about $200 million from next year’s budget.

The “cut list,” drawn up by Supt. Leonard Britton with the help of a committee made up of teachers, administrators and parents, includes the loss of about 2,000 positions, including teaching jobs.

Although it is certain that some school district employees would be laid off if that many jobs wind up being cut, no current teachers are to be let go. The 788 teacher jobs proposed for elimination would come from those called for to keep up with student growth in the huge district.

Robert Booker, the district’s chief business and financial officer, acknowledged that the projected deficit prompting the recommended cuts is based on cost and revenue estimates certain to change by the time the Board of Education must adopt a balanced 1990-91 budget in mid-September.

For example, last year, the board was told it would have to cut $80 million from its $2.8-billion operating budget. That amount dropped to $53 million by the time the board adopted a final spending program last August.

This year, however, the board is starting with a much bigger problem, Booker said. The amount the board will be short could range anywhere from $115 million to $230 million, he said.

“I certainly hope we will not have to make cuts of this magnitude . . . but we must begin annual budget planning now,” said Booker, who noted that Proposition 13’s passage brought about $200 million in cuts. Since then, cuts have been substantially smaller, despite a growing student population and increasing salaries.

Booker blamed this year’s expected budget woes on the 8% salary increase given to teachers and nearly every other employee, and on sharply rising health-care benefit costs and on Gov. George Deukmejian’s proposed state budget.

Among other things, Deukmejian cut the expected cost-of-living increases to school districts--which depend on the state for most of their money--and “froze” a fund for districts that operate some schools year-round. These two actions alone, unless modified by the Legislature, would cost the Los Angeles district $72 million.

Board members, who will make the final decisions on what to cut, are scheduled to begin a series of public hearings on the proposed spending reductions next Monday. Booker said the board will not get a tentative budget until June. But he said he expects that, despite the cuts, the operating budget will be well above $3 billion--because of higher salaries and other fixed costs over which the board has no control.

Of the areas recommended for cuts, the biggest is in administration. All departments would be cut by an average of 15% as part of a plan to save more than $53 million.

During a bitter teachers’ strike last spring, the district was criticized for high administrative costs and big salaries of its officials.

“We’re pleased to see that for the first time they are recommending the largest cuts in administration,” said Frances Haywood, vice president of United Teachers-Los Angeles.

Other proposals--such as reducing the number of new teachers required by increasing class size by two pupils in grades 4 through 12--would be opposed by the union, Haywood said. The union would have to agree before class size, now limited to about 35 or 36 by integration guidelines, could be increased.

Administrators also proposed deferring maintenance of school buildings and reducing the number of school police who patrol campuses by 24 positions. Booker said the reduced patrols would be on weekends and evenings, not during school hours.

Also cut would be the number of nurses and clerical workers at schools. Even with the long list of proposed reductions, administrators still must find ways to cut another $24.6 million to reach the spending-reduction target of $200 million.

The district hopes to save about $43.5 million by borrowing against construction and other special funds.

The unusually large budget problems come at a time when the district expects to add another 15,000 students next year and is grappling with ways to increase classroom space.

In addition, board members are struggling to improve student test scores, which are consistently below state averages, and find ways to reach the growing number of youngsters who speak little or no English.

Board members deferred comment on the proposals until they can study them, but Britton and other administrators acknowledge that they will be hard-pressed to make such extensive cuts without hurting classroom activities.

School District Budget Recommended ways to cut $200 million from the Los Angeles Unified School District budget: Borrowing from construction and other special funds: $43.5 million. Cutting district administration: $53.1 million Reducing “campus environment”services, including building maintenance and school police patrol services: $15.7 million. Reductions in other areas not yet determined: $24.6 million. Trimming such support services as school nurses, teacher aides and clerical workers: $25.6 million. Cutting instructional programs, including hiring 788 fewer teachers and increasing class sizes by 2 students in grades 4 to 12: $37.5 million.