School Board Tackles Cuts to Balance Budget
The Los Angeles school board on Monday began the process of settling on more than $30 million in administrative cuts needed to balance next year’s budget.
As part of its effort to cut approximately $200 million from the district’s almost $4-billion annual budget, the board last month directed Supt. Leonard Britton to find ways to cut 15% of the district’s central and regional administrative budgets.
Britton has recommended cuts that trim up to 25% from some departments for a total of more than $36 million in reductions, including the loss of more than 600 positions. The board debated the recommendations for nearly three hours Monday and will vote on a revised version on May 14.
Most of the cuts are of clerical and support services, but many--such as cuts in the bilingual program, the reduction of substitute hours and the loss of specialists in fields such as art, health education and agriculture--will no doubt reach into the classroom.
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