L.A. Schools Chief Proposes Massive Reorganization : Education: Decision-making abilities in many areas would shift to management teams. Plan would cut at least 155 jobs from district’s central office, saving about $10 million annually.

Faced with overwhelming budget troubles and large numbers of failing students, Los Angeles schools Supt. Bill Anton has proposed a massive reorganization that would shift many of the district’s decision-making powers from its downtown headquarters to management teams operating throughout the city.

The proposal, which Anton presented to the school board during a closed session Monday, also calls for elimination of at least 155 top- and middle-management jobs at the district’s sprawling 800-employee central office.

Those cuts would save the financially strapped Los Angeles Unified School District about $10 million a year, according to a copy of the proposal obtained by The Times. The school board is bracing for an estimated $317 million in cuts needed to balance its 1991-92 budget.

The goal of Anton’s reorganization plan is to shift the administration of a wide range of departments such as curriculum, bilingual education and counseling from the district’s central office to management teams made up of four teachers, one administrator and a clerk.

Each management team would be responsible for supervising from 15 to 24 elementary, junior high or high schools.

Student achievement will be improved by bringing decision-makers closer to the classroom and allowing fewer obstacles to innovation, according to the plan, which is intended to go into effect in July.

The 414 elementary schools in Los Angeles would be divided into seven “districts,” which correspond to the same boundaries dividing the seven school board representatives.

Management teams would also administer the district’s 72 junior high schools, which for the first time would be governed separately from elementary schools. The district is now divided into eight regional offices that have limited authority over the operation of elementary and junior high schools.

Under the proposal, the district’s junior high schools would eventually be converted to so-called middle schools, enrolling students in grades 5 through 8. Junior high schools have traditionally included grades 7 through 9.

The administration of the district’s 49 high schools would be supervised by three management teams.

The plan, which is scheduled to be unveiled Thursday, also seeks to give schools greater freedom in how to spend state money, which is now mostly divided according to a district formula.

Anton, who was out of town Tuesday, could not be reached for comment.

The reorganization is Anton’s first large-scale effort to put his mark on the district--the nation’s second largest--since being appointed superintendent 10 months ago. A former teacher and longtime district employee, Anton succeeded Leonard Britton, who had the job three years before the board voted to buy out his contract last June.

Before taking the job, Anton insisted on being granted the power to hire and fire top administrators without board approval. Although he offered to amend his plan during Monday’s closed-door meeting, board members said they agreed to give it a chance to work, in part because he already had that authority in his contract.

The plan includes a shake-up of the district’s top administrative organization. The duties remaining at district headquarters will be divided roughly among top administrators in charge of school operations, finance and two newly created departments: school reform and parent and community service resources.

The 155 top managers whose positions will be cut under Anton’s proposal will be able to transfer to other school administrative jobs or back into the classroom.

Board members interviewed Tuesday said they are hopeful the reorganization will improve conditions in the district of more than 625,000 students. But they also expressed some skepticism.

“The district administration is very good at coming up with plans,” said Eastside board member Leticia Quezada. “But rather than looking at plans, I want to see if there is a difference. If this is going to be more effective for accountability and student achievement, we ought to begin to see some improvements four or five months from now.”

“It is Bill’s plan,” said San Fernando Valley school board representative Roberta Weintraub. “I would have done a lot of things differently, but Bill is the CEO (chief executive officer).”

Weintraub said she agrees that more decision-making powers should be transferred to administrators who work directly with schools. But layoffs and large-scale budget cuts in store for schools beginning this summer could undermine any significant gains, Weintraub said.

Layoff and transfer notices have been sent to more than 2,000 district employees, including teachers, nurses, psychologists and counselors. The notices and pending budget cuts have spread fear and uncertainty among many school district employees, dominating conversations at district headquarters and in faculty lunch rooms.

Since settling a teacher’s strike two years ago, the district has increased efforts to shift decision-making powers to schools, with the expectation that parents, teachers and principals will be able to create better methods of teaching students.

City schools now operate shared decision-making councils that will be expected to decide matters of money, curriculum and hiring.

Anton’s proposal appears to assist those efforts, board members said.

But Helen Bernstein, president of United Teachers-Los Angeles, said the teachers’ union was not consulted on Anton’s reorganization plan.

“They have the opportunity to get rid of a lot of dead weight but I bet they’re just shifting some folks around,” said Bernstein, who had not seen a copy of Anton’s proposal.