The Twin Rivers Unified School District board of trustees will meet tonight to discuss its budget.
“Twin Rivers is in the same situation as most districts in our state, but with fewer variables available for reductions required by the multiple State cuts,” says district spokesperson Trinette Marquis. “We cannot reduce any classified staff or classified management positions until July 1, 2010 due to the two-year protection under the California Education Code regarding unification.”
The district’s budget reductions thus far include 1,602 certificated non-management positions (teachers) in the 2008-09 budget and have 1,368 in the 2009-10 budget; a reduction of 234 positions. The 2009-10 budget also sets Kindergarten through third grade at 24 to 1, but the district may go up to 26 to 1 in some classes (due to the hiring of 35 Student Learning Coaches from existing teacher ranks and not backfilling about 20 of those positions). Grades 4-6 are staffed at 30 to 1 and 7-12 at 32 to 1.
“We reduced our expenditures in 2009-10 by $26 million, but still need to reduce $6 million in our General Fund for 2009-10,” adds Marquis. “There are no school closures planned for 2009-10, but we will study consolidating schools for the start of 2010-11.”
So teachers and VP’s only? There aren’t any administrative cuts to be made? Any pay cuts for administrative employees? How does that $26 million break down? BAS