Board to Add School Services

The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday voted to double the number of counselors in secondary schools and double the hours that elementary school libraries are open.

On a 4-3 vote the board funded the program enhancements with $20 million that remained undesignated in the current year’s budget but was understood to be available for salary increases.

Board members who supported the proposal said it was a signal that they intend to put critical school services ahead of other demands on district funds.

“This is only a start,” said board member Mike Lansing, who introduced the proposal as a last-minute adjustment to the $9.8-billion budget adopted Tuesday.

The plan adopted by the board calls for one counselor for every 400 students at every middle school and senior high school. The current standard is 1.2 per 1,000 students. At elementary schools, libraries would be staffed six hours a day, rather than the current three.

The motion also would commit $50 million from next year’s budget to increase school security and provide a specialist at every school to maintain computers. New funds also would have to be identified next year to continue the increases in library and counselor staffing.

The narrow vote followed an hour of discussion in which Supt. Roy Romer and district Chief Financial Officer Joe Zeronian urged the board not to commit funds for next year without knowing where the money will come from.

“I think it is a mistake to do this,” Romer said.

Zeronian said he is increasingly worried that the state’s uncertain economy may make it difficult for the district to continue all current programs.

Romer suggested that the board adopt the budget without any changes and then begin committee hearings on how to expand services next year.

Board members Julie Korenstein and Jose Huisar said they supported the intent of Lansing’s motion, but said it came to them only minutes before the meeting.

“I can’t support this at the 11th hour,” Korenstein said.

Board member David Tokofsky, who also opposed the proposal, said it failed to address local school autonomy in deciding how to staff libraries and provide counseling.

“There is always an excuse,” Lansing said. “There is never going to be a right time.”

Board member Marlene Canter, who took office in July, cast the deciding vote. At first Canter appeared to be leaning toward a delay, but finally voted to beef up the programs this year.

“I feel that this was an opportunity for me to take a stand,” Canter said afterward. “I wanted this to be for the kids. They don’t have a union negotiating for them.”

The decision leaves Romer with even fewer options as he enters negotiations with the teachers union and other district bargaining units over pay increases in the second year of their three-year contracts.

After getting average increases of more than 15% in the first year of the contract, bringing teacher pay up to the county median, United Teachers-Los Angeles last week made an opening proposal to raise its pay up to the top quarter in the county.

Korenstein, who cast the only vote against the entire budget, complained that it designated no funds at all for pay increases.

Romer, however, said he intends to negotiate in good faith with the unions and will have to find more money.

“You can’t turn your back on good-faith negotiations,” he said. “We’ll get it together.”