2009.01.08
Layoffs not immediately planned in Montgomery schools
A story in Thursday's Current explained that Montgomery County Schools would lose funding for the equivalent of 105 support staffing positions if Gov. Tim Kaine's proposed plan for budget reductions is approved.
The headline read, "School system prepares for staffing cuts." Apparently that's led several people to question whether they'll be getting a pink slip, said Assistant Superintendent Walt Shannon.
"We couldn't lose 105 support positions. We couldn't run our buildings. We don't have enough custodians," he said today.
Kaine has suggested putting a cap on support staff, such as custodians, clerical workers and non instructional administrators. That cap would mean the state would only pay for the equivalent of 182 support positions.
In the past, it had paid for 284.44. Montgomery County's school has 285.76 support positions, according to figures provided to the school board. The Virginia Association of Counties says that Montgomery County has 287 support positions, which is where the number published in the Current came from.
Shannon said he wants to allay fears of employees contacting him and the school board. On Tuesday, the board will start looking at ways to reduce their budget and upcoming budget requests. That could mean leaving teaching and/or support positions vacant once people leave. In other words, attrition.
Shannon said the county schools usually lose between 80 to 100 positions through attrition each year.
And, school officials can go back at least 15 years since the last actual lay offs.
What do you think of the budget crunching?
