May 7, 2008 3:11 pm US/Pacific
SF Schools Receiving Reserve Funds To Curb Cuts
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / BCN) ―
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City officials joined teachers in protesting proposed education cuts earlier this year.
CBS
Hundreds of teachers and other San Francisco Unified School District staff will keep their jobs next year because of the disbursement of millions of dollars in city rainy day funds, school district officials announced Wednesday.
Estimating that proposed state budget cuts could reduce funding for San Francisco schools by $40 million next year, district officials in March said 535 teachers and other staff might have to be laid off.
However, city leaders, including Mayor Gavin Newsom, pledged to assist using the rainy day reserve funds, and on Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved the appropriation.
Wednesday morning, the district announced that the funding—which still has to navigate the city's budget hearings later this year but that current estimates put in the $18 to $20 million range—will now allow the planned layoffs to be rescinded.
"Our dedicated teachers and certified administrators in good standing can rest assured that they will have a job with SFUSD next year," said Superintendent Carlos Garcia in a prepared statement.
Garcia added that the district is still likely to face a $13 million budget shortfall next year.
According to district spokeswoman Gentle Blythe, that shortfall could force cuts in special education and physical education programs, as well as programs serving students whose first language is not English.
(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)
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