OXNARD : Schools Take Steps to Save $3.1 Million

The Oxnard school board has approved a plan to reduce the district’s budget by $3.1 million, including giving layoff notices to 63 district personnel, closing a school and realigning grade levels at three schools to cut busing costs.

In addition to giving notices of its intention to lay off 17 teachers, six administrators, a staff psychologist and 36 other employees, the board added the district’s three nurses during Wednesday’s closed session, Supt. Norman R. Brekke said.

The district will attempt to reassign, demote or move personnel into positions vacated by attrition, but Brekke said it would be hard to cut $3.1 million without cutting personnel since 86% of the proposed 1991-92 budget is personnel-related. The district will save $1.4 million through those layoffs, he said.

Ray Alvarez, vice president of the Oxnard Educators Assn., told the board that the district budget advisory committee’s recommendations do not represent his group’s position. “Any cuts that would be made should be as far away from the classroom or school site as possible,” Alvarez said.

The closure of Ramona School one year before Ritchen School is completed in 1992 will save the district $300,000, officials said. The board also voted to change Sierra Linda, Curren and Juanita schools to kindergarten through sixth-grade structures.

Those changes would save the district $450,000 in busing costs, but would cause some students to walk half a mile farther to school, Brekke said.