Elk Grove board issues layoff notices for 217 school jobs

In a unanimous decision, the Elk Grove Unified School District board voted Tuesday night to issue 388 lay-off notices, representing 217 certificated and classified positions, following a recommendation by Superintendent Steven M. Ladd.

"We do not enjoy bringing these difficult recommendations to the board or the community," said Ladd. "They are painful. I want to emphasis again, however, that these are just possible layoffs."

The difference in number – 388 notices versus 217 positions – can be explained in two ways.

First, some of the district's employees are not full-time. Two part-time workers make up one of the 217 positions, for example. Second, notification is based on seniority. In some cases, as many as 20 employees have the same starting date.

"We have to notify all 20 employees at this point," said district spokeswoman Elizabeth Graswich.

On March 11, the board will be presented with a resolution of tie-breaking criteria for those with the same seniority, she said.

The board's move Tuesday night comes as the state plans to cut $4.8 billion from education. Elk Grove Unified, for its part, faces a state funding shortfall of $25 million for the 2008-09 school year. Personnel is the largest district expenditure.

Of the 217 positions, 137 are full-time certificated positions, including three counselors, 56 elementary teachers, 17 ninth-grade math teachers, 17 ninth-grade English teachers, six high school life science teachers, six high school social studies teachers, one high school business teacher, one world language teacher, two high school physical education teachers and 28 instructional coaches.

The 80 classified positions include office assistants, teaching associates, job developers and program educators in the Adult and Community Education Department and library technicians and instructional assistants at elementary schools.

The district has about 3,200 certificated and 2,400 classified employees.

Pink slips, however, do not necessarily mean layoffs.

Ladd said last week the district won't know if layoffs will be necessary until the state budget is passed.

By law, the district must issue teachers' pink slips for the next school year no later than March 15 and classified workers' by May 15.

The district must have a balanced budget by June 30, whether or not the state's final budget has been passed.

Because of the anticipated $16 billion state budget shortfall, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting 10 percent across the board from such big-ticket budget items as education, corrections, health care and parks and recreation. Sacramento County's school districts face $85 million in cuts.

For up-to-date information about the district's budget process, visit www.egusd.net and click "Budget Watch."

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