HUNTINGTON BEACH : School Employees Oppose Layoff Plan

A proposal for dozens of layoffs and reassignments in the Huntington Beach Union High School District drew sharp reactions Wednesday from employees who said depleting their ranks would hurt learning in the district.

Reacting to a proposal by Supt. David Hagen to bridge a $3.1-million budget deficit by eliminating 53 1/2 positions this fall, employees at Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting defended their jobs as essential to maintaining current levels of service in the district.

“I want to make a little noise on (librarians’) behalf,” said Rachel Carlson, Marina High School’s librarian, reacting to a part of the plan that would eliminate five librarians. “I feel the cuts you’re proposing now would be a great disservice to students.”

Hagen on Tuesday said that 15 teachers, four school nurses, six psychologists and the five librarians should be laid off or reassigned to bridge the budget gap.

Trustees on Tuesday agreed that librarians would be depleted more than other employee groups under Hagen’s recommendations. The one remaining librarian would serve as a districtwide media coordinator, overseeing two part-time clerks at each of the district’s six regular high schools. The trustees asked Hagen to review that recommendation and propose an alternative.

Hagen’s plan also called for at least 17 non-teaching employees--including computer programmers, media technicians and clerks--to be laid off. Some teachers, nurses and other employees targeted to be cut may also be laid off, but Hagen said he is hopeful that enough vacant positions will be open next year to reassign those employees.

And the cuts could go even deeper, Hagen said. Depending on the final state budget for 1992-93, the high school district’s shortfall could climb as high as $5.1 million, he said. If it does, Hagen said he would recommend increasing all class sizes by 1.5 students and cutting employees’ salaries by 2%.

Because the district has already cut $17.6 million in spending during the past six years, Hagen said trustees can no longer avoid eliminating dozens of jobs.

Hagen’s recommendations would give broader responsibilities to remaining nurses, psychologists and administrators.

The district now employs a nurse at all six regular high schools and at Valley Vista High School, a continuation school. As proposed, four of the seven nurses would be dropped.

Two nurses would each be responsible for two schools, and the third remaining nurse would be assigned to two regular schools and Valley Vista. The nurses would divide their work days among their assigned schools. Health clerks, who now assist nurses, would be responsible for many of the daily calls that nurses now handle.

Six of the district’s nine psychologists, who counsel and test special education students, would also be laid off or reassigned under the plan. Staffing at the district special education center would be reduced, leaving one psychologist at each school.

Half of the district’s six counseling psychologist positions would be cut. One counseling psychologist is now assigned to each regular high school, helping students with drug problems, suicide counseling and a variety of other concerns. As proposed, each counseling psychologist would serve students at two schools.

The dean and activities director at each high school would be reassigned, leaving five administrators at each campus.

Additionally, 15 1/2 teaching positions would be cut by limiting the number of classes a student may take each semester and increasing some class sizes.