Small classes appear to be safe next year

Andrew Edwards

Class-size reduction and teachers who received layoff notices will

almost certainly remain in the Huntington Beach City School District

for another year.

On Saturday, at a fundraising festival at Kettler Elementary

School, parents raising money announced they had collected enough

donations to keep small classes in the district.

“It looks like, by the showing of money we’ve received right now,

we’ve made our first goal of $205,000,” said Gina Gleason, a member

of Community for Class Size Reduction, the parents’ group raising

funds to keep 20 to 1 student to teacher ratios.

The parents’ group made a deal with the district’s school board to

collect donations to save the program, which was in jeopardy after

budget cuts resulting from the state financial crisis. The program

ensures that teachers in the first and second grades have no more

than 20 students in their class. In kindergarten, class-size

reduction is in effect for a part of the school day.

Without the fundraising efforts, the school board would have cut

class-size reduction out of the budget for the next school year. The

school board has not yet finalized any budget cuts, but Supt. Gary

Rutherford recommended that the board rely on parents to pay for the

district’s share of the program, which is partially funded by the

state.

“[The parents] have worked very hard to get through a crisis,”

Rutherford said.

The parents’ group’s money includes hard funds, like checks and

cash, as well as credit card payments and matching funds.

Joe Churilla, treasurer of the parents’ group, said they have

raised about $213,000, and he hopes to have enough money on hand to

present the district a check at the April 8 school board meeting.

Notices had been sent out to 38 teachers that they could be laid

off as a result of expected declines in enrollment and potential

budget cuts. As soon as the district receives the $205,000, teachers

can be assured their jobs will be safe for another year.

“We don’t anticipate that any teachers will be affected,”

Assistant Supt. for Human Resources Kathy Kessler said.

Only 26 layoffs were authorized by the school board if class-size

reduction was cut, but Kessler said she expected early retirements to

make up the balance.

Raising $205,000 was only the parents’ first objective. The next

goal is to restore class-size reduction in the third grade, which

will require an additional $250,000 by the end of April.

* ANDREW EDWARDS covers education and crime. He may be reached at

(714) 965-7177.