There was good news for teachers and students when the Pajaro Valley school board met on Wednesday. After years of dwindling funds, they were finally debating what to do with a $9 million surplus and another $5.6 million set aside to cover additional cuts.
There was good news for teachers and students when the Pajaro Valley school board met on Wednesday. After years of dwindling funds, they were finally debating what to do with a $9 million surplus and another $5.6 million set aside to cover additional cuts. “This is one time funding,” cautioned the school board’s Chief Business Officer, Brett McFadden, but the teachers who crowded the meeting already knew what to do with it. They wanted to see class sizes reduced, especially in the lowest grades, where overcrowding has the greatest impact on student achievements. The board, however, is hesitant. They are concerned about a new round of midyear cuts, and would rather restore the five furlough days in June. They also say that reducing class sizes is a temporary fix for a larger problem, and that there are no assurances that reducing class sizes will be possible next year as well. But the teachers insist that any measures to correct the problem will be welcome. “This may be one-time money, but these are one-time kids,” says Laura Zucker. No official decision will be made till mid-November. Read more at Santa Cruz Sentinel.
