Budget Blues: 'Significant' Teacher Layoffs Hinted in $19.5 Million Deficit

The Grossmont Union High School District is mulling layoffs and tapping  its reserves to help fix a potential $19.5 million deficit next school year.

“We’re looking at layoff notices of a significant number having to be delivered to some very good teachers,” Superintendent Ralf Swenson said Thursday during a matrathon school board meeting in El Cajon drawing more than 200 people.

But he provided no layoff figure while discussing a need to  “plan [for] a worst-case scenario.”

His remarks came during a long discussion about whether the East County district can afford to build and run a new high school in Alpine.  The governing board voted unanimously to continue planning construction of the new school, being funded by local bonds, but it still has not decided when the school will open.

While it has funding for new construction, the district is facing a crisis running its existing schools due to projected state funding reductions and declining student enrollment. Many public school districts across California are facing similar issues.

Grossmont—which has a $190 million budget—is facing a $19.5 million shortfall next school year, which begins July 1. The shortfall would be $13 million if some temporary state taxes are extended this year by voters and if the district and its labor groups agree to extend work furloughs, according to district officials.

The district plans to tap its $23 million in reserves to help reduce projected deficits in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.

The district plans to use $9.7 million in reserves and $400,000 from its vocational and adult education funds, to reduce the projected $19.5 million shortfall next year. That will still leave the district with a $9.4 million deficit and that is why discussions about layoffs, salary and benefits reductions and extending the work furloughs are taking place.

Swenson said the district was able to use “one-time” federal stimulus money to avoid deep cuts last year, “but those dollars are spent and there are no more coming.”

A few speakers during the Thursday board meeting argued that a new high school in Alpine would take money from other schools to operate, which Alpine residents disputed. The earliest the new high school could open is late 2013.

Swenson said the district could also be heading into a period of declining student enrollment, which would mean less state funding.  Much of state funding for schools is based on average daily student attendance, which is tied to enrollment.

The district’s unofficial enrollment this year is 23,224, down from 24,123 students in 2009-2010, according to figures presented by Swenson to the board.

The district does not have official figures for this year yet because Helix Charter High School’s enrollment of 2,313  has not been certified by the state, he said. “They have a number they believe is accurate,” Swenson said about Helix.

If Helix’s count this year holds, it would mean that the district has 889 fewer students than in 2009-2010.

Swenson said the district is largely affected by declining enrollment in its feeder schools.

According to data presented by Swenson on Tuesday, East County’s six largest elementary school districts have lost more than 2,000 students since 2005-2006. Those districts include La Mesa-Spring Valley, Lemon Grove, Santee and Lakeside.

Among the 11 comprehensive Grossmont high schools, Santana High in Santee has the lowest enrollment. Santana High’s enrollment this year, 2010-2011, is 1,496, down from 1,669 in 2005-2006.

Other enrollment trends:

• In La Mesa, Helix High has 2,313 students this year, down from 2,337 in 2009-2010 and from 2,299 in 2005-2006.
• In El Cajon, Grossmont High’s enrollment is 2,606 this year, down from 2,634 in 2009-2010 but up from 2,360 in 2005-2006.

• In Santee, enrollment at West Hills High is 2,052 this year, down from 2,297 in 2005-2006.
• In Spring Valley, enrollment at Monte Vista High is 1,940 this year, down from 2,096 in 2009-2010 and 1,967 in 2005; and at Mount Miguel High, enrollment is 1,670 this year, down from 1,901 in 2009-2010, and from 1,842 in 2005-2006.
• In Lakeside, El Capitan High’s enrollment is 1,765 this year, down from 1,887 in 2009-2010 and from 1,938 in 2005-2006.

Swenson said the district’s newly formed boundary committee will study attendance areas and make recommendations. The boundary panel will offer advice on  attendance area for the new high school in Alpine and other schools.