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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 12, 2006 Medford teachers dismiss district’s stance on budget cuts By PARIS ACHEN Mail Tribune Cuts to Medford schools would hit teaching positions, high school-intervention programs, staff development, campus security and textbook funds under a budget Medford School District administrators proposed Tuesday for the 2006-07 school year. Superintendent Phil Long said some of the cuts, which equal nearly $3 million, could be averted if district employees agree to contracts that reduce their annual cost-of-living raises of 3.4 percent and health and pension benefits. "At a time of declining enrollment and (state) funding, we must deal with rising salaries, rapidly increasing health insurance costs, growing pension obligations, increasing special education needs and deteriorating school facilities," Long said in a statement released Tuesday ahead of the district budget committee’s first meeting of the year. The $87.1 million budget proposal for the 2006-07 is $1.7 million more than this year’s budget. It includes 23 fewer teaching positions, eight of which would account for an expected decrease in student enrollment. The cuts would save nearly $1.4 million but would likely force larger class sizes — some are at 40 pupils already. Advertisement The draft budget also calls for cutting $82,100 in supplemental administrator pay, $200,000 in campus monitors, $300,000 in reading- and math-intervention programs at high schools meant to promote graduation, $385,000 in computer upgrades, and $171,100 in supplies and materials. About $120,000 would be trimmed from staff training, $100,000 from security equipment, and $97,400 less for textbook replacement. The budget proposal includes $45.1 million for salaries, $25.3 million for benefits and a $1 million contingency fund. The district’s enrollment has declined by 520 pupils since the 2002-03 school year. District officials anticipate a loss of an additional 580 students in the next three years, which means a decline in enrollment-based state funding of about $2 to $3 million. Declining enrollment paired with rising salary and benefit costs have forced the district to cut expenses each year since 2001-02, including imposing a 10-day furlough for employees that year and $6.2 million in cuts in staffing and services. The district’s employee unions are in negotiations with the district for a new contract, which covers salaries, benefits and duties. The existing contract expires June 30. Union leaders said placing the burden of balancing the budget on teachers is unfair. "The budget is a problem," said Cheryl Lashley, teachers union spokeswoman and a third-grade teacher at Howard Elementary. "It’s a problem for the state of Oregon, yet teachers feel like we are the ones being asked to take responsibility to fund the district." The district’s 14-member budget committee, which is made up of Medford School Board directors and community members, will spend the next six weeks reviewing the proposal and coming up with a budget recommendation for the school board by the end of May. A public hearing will be held June 6 before the board adopts the budget later in the month. To learn more To read Superintendent Phil Long’s budget message, visit www.medford.k12.or.us Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4459 or e-mail Medford teachers dismiss district�s stance on budget cuts ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Send Flowers California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Hammocks Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Email Security Advertisement s Advertisement