Oakland public schools Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell said at last night's school board assembly that the district needs to cut $9 million from it's current fiscal year budget.
The number is a downward revision from the $15.1 million in cuts that district leaders said as recently as last week would be essential to avoid a fiscal crisis and possible state takeover.
"I'm doing my best to try to preserve us out of state receivership next year," said Johnson-Trammell.
The superintendent explained that the cuts will be spread across the system, with $4.2 million coming from 87 different school sites and $4.8 million coming from the central administration.
But the revision hasn't calmed students, or parents,and teachers who say the budget slashing will still be devastating because it comes on top of preceding cuts made earlier this year.
"I find it absurd you're advocating cutting additional resources when we didn't derive what was promised in the first place," said a Castlemont High School student who identified himself as Eduardo.
Megan Bumpus, and a teacher at Reach Academy,said her school already took a $68000 cut in "CALL" funds, which pay for a program of additional academic support to students from high-poverty neighborhoods. She asked why the board hasn't accounted for this reduction and yet is planning to reduce Reach Academy's budget by about another $60000, or according to district records.
Laura Impellizzeri,a parent whose child goes to Oakland Tech, said the cuts will result in "stunning inequality" within and between schools.…
Source: eastbayexpress.com