Union blames EV leaders for budget mess

The union that represents East Valley teachers took a swipe at their bosses Wednesday, saying the school board and administrators are solely to blame for the district’s financial crisis.

Teachers shouldn’t have to pay the price with layoffs that will also hurt students, said union President Leslee McLachlan, a teacher at East Farms Elementary School.

“Teachers are the most essential factor in a child’s education,” said McLachlan.

The East Valley Education Association, which represents about 270 teachers, is questioning the district’s budget assumptions and dollar figures.

Faced with declining enrollment and rising costs, the district is expecting a budget shortfall of $1.3 million. The district has said next year’s budget is going to have to be 4.8 percent smaller than this year’s.

Superintendent Christine Burgess said in a memo to district employees Monday: “We are looking at reduction of staff with absorbing as much as possible through attrition first.”

By contract, the district must notify teachers by May 1 if they’re going to have jobs next year.

Burgess said in Monday’s memo the district and building administrators have been in meetings to discuss a number of possible reductions and efficiencies. Those she listed include office and administrative costs, nonmandatory expenditures, building support, and cuts in “school-based programs and special education.” She also listed a possible “decrease in curriculum” – a term that was left undefined by the superintendent.

She noted that this year’s budget was the largest ever, even though there are fewer students in the district.

“You can’t run a budget when you’re going to spend more than you bring in,” said McLachlan. “Did we need a brand new maintenance truck this year?”

McLachlan said teachers disagree with the district’s decision to spend more than $750,000 in the last two years on a new math program, social studies materials and projectors. McLachlan contends those purchases should have been spread over several years.

East Valley officials, in an e-mail response to a reporter’s questions, said they started out the school year with $600,000 less than expected. Burgess has said in the past that the only person who knows what caused that miscalculation is a fiscal manager who has since died.

“Unfortunately, spending decisions at the beginning of the year were made based on the budgeted amounts,” according to the e-mail, which was not attributed to any specific official.

Adding to the problem: Expenses this year were $500,000 higher than expected.

The district expects to have less than $100,000 in reserves by the end of the school year.

District officials say that union leaders have been invited to help find solutions. McLachlan said the union is willing, but she doesn’t know how they could help the district since they have no control over the budget.

“We’re not the ones with the power and the control, and we don’t have all the information,” said McLachlan.

Employee morale is suffering, she said. “The district’s financial troubles may cause families to leave East Valley and enroll their students in neighboring school districts with more stable finances.”