OXNARD : District Approves Pared-Down Budget

The board of the Oxnard Elementary School District unanimously approved its 1991-92 budget of $49.6 million Wednesday, slashing $3.1 million through layoffs and cuts in educational programs.

Sixty-three district employees--34 teachers and 29 classified workers--received layoff notices.

In addition to personnel shifts, the district eliminated the instrumental music program for grades 4 through 6. The music teachers for that program were reassigned to the classroom, Supt. Norman R. Brekke said. The board did not cut the instrumental music program for seventh- and eighth-graders.

Thirteen reading and language arts specialists who help students with reading disabilities were also reassigned to the classroom. In addition, the board cut two of the three district nurses. Board member Jean M. Harris said the budget decisions were painful to make.

“There isn’t a single program or a single person we didn’t need or want,” she said. “The education of the kids will be less. It’s very sad. This is the toughest hit we’ve had to take since I’ve been on the board for eight years.”

Harris said that despite the budget cuts, the closing of Ramona School a year earlier than planned and various boundary changes to cut busing costs, parents have not been angry.

“They seem to feel that we’re doing the best that we can, but of course they’re disappointed. People really do trust us, and that makes it particularly difficult,” she said.