Tuesday, May 15, 2012

May be easier than you think

APS board approves plan to cut nearly 500 jobs | ajc.com
The school board approved a plan Monday to cut up to 475 jobs, including about 230 teachers, 90 custodians and 14 bus drivers and transportation staffers. Some of the layoffs are a result of a recent school redistricting, others because of declining revenue.
“We’re going to rethink almost everything we do, from the classroom to central offices,” said Chuck Burbridge, APS' chief financial officer.
Look, with salaries and benefits accounting for about 80% of APS' expenses, it's unrealistic to expect or demand no payroll cuts. Just resolving those cheating suspensions will be a big help (assuming the Dirty Quarter-Dozen don't win that stupid lawsuit).
Next year's budget does include some funding for improvements. The district plans to add an assistant principal at every school -- something promised during a massive school rezoning approved last month. Nurses will work five days a week in every school, and a police investigator will also be funded for each APS cluster.
The need for assistant principals, nurses, and on-call police investigators seems obvious.

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