The Natomas Unified School District board of trustees last night made $2.9 million in budget cuts. Decisions included:- raising student meal prices 50 cents,
- increasing walking distances for busing,
- creating a new pool of longterm substitute teachers from the banks of our laid off teachers to save $1 million,
- increasing class sizes in some primary grades to save $750,000,
- cutting back on classes/programs that were under enrolled,
- cutting summer school at the elementary level, and
- eliminating some support positions.
According to NUSD spokesperson Heidi Van Zant, trustess have said they will consider closing a school, four-day school week, letting lawns go brown, targeted layoffs, summer school at the middle school level and athletics at the June 11 meeting.
The stated goal is to cut up to $11 million by the end of the month to maintain the district’s solvency. Stayed tuned to NATOMASBUZZ.COM for a complete list of cuts later today.
Click here to read the Sac Beearticle on the cuts. An excerpt:
Among the cuts made are to essentially eliminate busing at three high schools, close the Natomas High School pool from June to September, eliminate elementary school summer school and increase class sizes in second and third grades to 30 children per class.
This is an outrage…how can the NUSD be $11 MILLION short???
Our district is the worst off in the County after the Board was bragging just months ago about how smart and frugile they have been.
One bad choice after the next.
Yes everyone is cutting back but our district is butchered because of terrible leadership at the Board level and the Superintendent.
They all need to go, every single one of them, no exceptions and no excuses.
Our kids are being robbed and its our (tax payer) money that is being taken away, misused and carelessly spent.
This is terrible…
I hope every parent in Natomas will remember this when it is time to choose new leaders for our district and for our community.
I heard one of the school board members wants to run for City Council or County Supervisor.
Ha, yeah right, are these people for real?
Just what we need more irresponsible arrogent people at higher levels misusing tax dollars.
This is almost unbearable.
Sorry for the rant BUZZ, just can’t take it anymore.
I wonder if this has anything to do with the recent news that Fitch Ratings downgraded $11 million of NUSD debt to an A- rating?
I would love to see some people start putting some energy into getting another K-5 charter school opened in Natomas!!!!
Hey Buzz,
Any buzz on how the budget will impact the areas charter schools — Westlake, NP3 and Natomas?
SPA
Because of the state budget, the charter schools are also having to make cuts in their budgets.
I want to give kudos to one new board member, Bruce Roberts. As a teacher at Heron, I appreciated that he hung out at our school yesterday and talked to many of the 2nd and 3rd grade teachers who learned the night before that they are now going to have 10 more students in each of their classes next year (30 instead of 20). He didn’t run and hide, he answered question after question. I’ve appreciated seeing him at many school events, and while I can’t speak to his record overall as there isn’t much of one yet since he is new, he is very involved and gives the impression of earnestness and inquisitiveness.
In the Bee this morning…. 40 layoffs and most likely more to come.