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Click Here 45 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, February 27, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend February 12, 2004 Medford schools mull salary cuts The district must reduce its budget by nearly 10 percent as a result of Measure 30’s failure By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune In the aftermath of Measure 30’s failure, the Medford School District has notified teachers of plans to reopen contract negotiations to discuss salaries and a shortened school year. The negotiations will come as the district prepares for the largest budget reduction in recent memory — $7.6 million in cuts, amounting to almost 10 percent of its 2004-05 budget. "We’re forced into this by Measure 30," Medford schools Superintendent Dick Gregory said Wednesday. "Despite what some people think, these cuts are going to happen." Programs and positions scheduled for reduction or elimination include secondary music, elementary music, counselors, child development specialists, school librarians, principals and administrative staff. Negotiations with the teachers’ union will include discussions on the elimination of classroom assistants in classrooms with large numbers of students, increasing class sizes, reducing the contracted 3 percent salary increase and reducing the number of school days. The district saves $250,000 in salaries for each day eliminated. Advertisement In his conversations with teachers, Gregory said, it’s evident there is much concern about the budget dilemma. "Teachers are angry right now and I understand their anger, but their anger needs to be directed to where it belongs — in Salem," he said Despite the hardship to teachers and other staff, he said, "Our board is still committed to protecting the classroom and to have quality education in ’04 and ’05." Gregory said the district theoretically could balance its budget if it were willing to cut up to 32 days from the school year. That’s unlikely he said, predicting instead that the shortfall will be made up through a combination of elimination or reduction of programs and staff, and possibly eliminating 10 or more days. "This will mean a reduction in everybody’s salary, from the superintendent on down," he said. The district probably would not cut much more than 10 days because it could jeopardize accreditation status at its two high schools, he said. The district has hired a bargaining consultant from the Oregon School Boards Association to conduct negotiations with the teachers union. Jim Bond, who represents the Oregon Education Association, said defeat of Measure 30 has been a blow to the teachers he represents. "A majority of citizens decided education is not a priority," he said. "It will be a hard time for a long time for education." Before the teachers agree to any contract concessions, Bond said the union will examine the district’s budget to see if there are other areas that could be trimmed first. "We will look at everything in the district to see if spending is done efficiently," Bond said. The union will analyze staffing levels in every area, from administration to rank-and-file employees. But teachers realize the budget gap will be a difficult to resolve easily for the district. "We have to expect that the district is going to ask for financial concessions — that’s a given," he said. "Beyond that, we will find a way to collaboratively sit down and figure out what’s best for all parties." Cheryl Lashley, president of the Medford Education Association, said teachers already took a big salary hit last year when the district cut 10 days out of the calendar year. Lashley, who lost more than $2,000 from her own salary as a teacher, said many people in the community are under the mistaken assumption that school employees are paid when days are cut. "We helped fund the crisis last year," she said. Teachers also want to make sure that students do not wind up with a watered-down education, despite the budget problems. "If it’s a choice between cut days or cut programs, we’d rather have good quality programs," she said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. 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