Syracuse school officials are facing the prospect of cutting 75 more jobs next year on top of the roughly 244 jobs they already anticipated they would need to cut to balance the budget. But more than two months after the school board approved its preliminary budget, the final number of job cuts are still up in the air mostly...
Left, Nottingham High School Dean of Students Greg Jones is greeted by Rahmeer Peterson, 18, middle, in the cafeteria Wednesday as Derrick Gore, 16, right, looks on. Jones works with families, kids, police officers and the neighborhood to prevent discipline problems and help kids out. He also patrols the halls and cafeteria during lunch. One of the Syracuse school budget cuts is the dean of students position.
Syracuse school officials are facing the prospect of cutting 75 more jobs next year on top of the roughly 244 jobs they already anticipated they would need to cut to balance the budget.
But more than two months after the school board approved its preliminary budget, the final number of job cuts are still up in the air mostly because the state has not yet adopted a budget, and the district relies on the state for most of its money.
The 75 jobs would include 20 custodial staff, 20 clerical workers and 35 teaching assistants. The 75 cuts would bring the projected total to 319, including more than 80 teachers and more than 90 teaching assistants. That’s out of a work force of about 4,000.
The school board’s Budget and Finance Committee heard the numbers at a meeting Tuesday.
“These cuts are devastating,” Deputy Superintendent Chris Vogelsang said.
Eliminating the 75 jobs would cut district spending by $5 million. The school district 2010-2011 budget approved by City Hall is $354.5 million, but that is based on projected revenue and expenses that have changed and may change again, district Chief Financial Officer Suzanne Slack said.
The board would need to cut the 75 extra jobs if two assumptions built into the budget do not come through.
One is that the district will save $2 million by getting its unions to make changes in their contracts. Superintendent Daniel Lowengard said negotiations are under way.
The other is $3.5 million in state money that might not materialize. The district included in its budget $3.5 million in state “growth aid” because its enrollment went up. But school board President Richard Strong said he’s heard that money probably will not come through.
The school board, which has not yet voted on specific job cuts, expects to do so when it meets at 5:30 p.m. June 16 at the district central offices, 725 Harrison St.
Contact Maureen Nolan 470-2185 or mnolan@syracuse.com