Chula Vista elementary schools plan to notify 488 certificated employees that their jobs could be cut, depending how deep state budget cuts go this year. The school district has estimated cuts at $11 million, cutting from an existing $245 million budget.
The list includes 401 classroom teachers, three counselors, one librarian, 10 nurses, nine associate principals and two human resources directors. A popular program called Reading First could be eliminated entirely under the plan, just after teachers presented positive feedback on the initiative to the school board.
Under California law, schools are required to notify all certificated employees whose jobs might be eliminated by March 15, though budget cuts won’t be finalized until this summer. Classified employees such as custodians and bus drivers won’t be notified until later in the year.
Chula Vista Elementary trustees approved the pinkslips Wednesday night, but they weren’t pleased.
State legislators “talk a good game of education being a priority, but their actions don’t support that,” said trustee Pamela Smith. Though Chula Vista schools are in decent shape financially, she added, “nobody can be in a position to weather what the state’s proposing.”