School Board Cuts 115 Teachers, 40 Clerks, Carver/Century Assistant Principal And More

April 30, 2008

carvercuts.gifThe Escambia County School Board voted Tuesday night to cut 115 teaching positions, 40 elementary school administrative clerks and the assistant principal position at Carver/Century K-8 School.

The total cuts recommended by Superintendent Jim Paul and approved by the board total $6.2 million. Most of that $6.2 million will come from having high school teachers teach another class each day. High school teachers currently are in the classroom for five out of seven periods each day, but next year that will increase to six out of seven. That portion of Paul’s plan will save the district an estimated $3.2 million.

A total of 40 administrative clerk positions at elementary schools will be cut for a savings of just over $845,000.

The assistant principal position at Carver/Century will be eliminated, as will the principal of the OASIS student program in Pensacola for a total savings of about $170,000.

Sixteen of the115 teaching positions to be cut will be the exceptional student education (ESE) program to save $705,000. Ten teachers will be cut from various art, physical education and music positions in the county to save $440,870. Sixteen “sparsity unit” positions….teachers in classes that do not have enough students to qualify for financial aid from the state…will be cut to save $741,102.

The board says that no current employee will lose their job; those in the eliminated positions will be reassigned within the district.

The only vote against Paul’s proposal came from Claudia Brown-Curry who called for more administrative cuts and fewer cuts directly related to the district’s classrooms.

The district expects a $15 million shortfall next year due to state budget cuts and rising fuel costs.

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