THOUSAND OAKS : Reading Specialist Jobs May Be Spared

Elementary school reading specialists and several non-teaching positions may be spared under modifications made to the Conejo Valley Unified School District’s 1992-93 proposed budget.

But the cuts will fall about $27,000 short of the district’s $2.8-million target.

The school board on Thursday will review several recommendations proposed by Supt. William Seaver, including retaining three of five reading specialists initially slated to be cut.

The proposal to retain the reading specialists was spurred by the large number of letters and phone calls that the district received from concerned parents, especially those from Walnut Elementary School, Seaver said.

But parent Allison Shaneman said some parents are still dissatisfied with the cuts, which would divide three reading specialists among six elementary schools, and that parents at Walnut Elementary School are continuing to voice opposition. Nearly 500 signatures were gathered and given to board members last week, said Shaneman, the drive coordinator.

“The teachers will only be at the schools part time and that’s not enough,” Shaneman said.

This is the third year that the district has faced a budget deficit. A potential lack of state funding, including decreased lottery revenue, has forced the district to consider the cuts, which will not affect most teaching positions, Seaver said.

Other modifications that Seaver has recommended to trim the $73.8-million budget include reducing counselors’ hours at Colina and Los Cerritos intermediate schools, and at Thousand Oaks and Westlake high schools, for a savings of $46,000.