UCS Sends Pink Slips to 207 Teachers

The Utica Community Schools has issued layoff notices to 207 teachers and reduced the number of central office administration staff members. Also, support staff such as psychologists, social workers, and speech and language positions have been reduced.

Many teachers receiving layoff notices are expected to be recalled, but the district will most likely permanently eliminate 80 teaching positions as state lawmakers continue to finalize the school aid budget.

"Since nearly 90 percent of our budget is employee costs, it is impossible to make reductions without impacting the valued and dedicated members of our school community," UCS Superintendent Dr. Christine M. Johns said in a statement.

School officials said the cuts are due to state aid reductions and increasing district-wide costs.

“Earlier this year, a school aid package was proposed that impacted funding to schools in three ways: a reduction in the per-pupil foundation allowance, an increase in the mandatory retirement rate and the end of one-time federal stimulus money,” Johns said.

Collectively, these changes would have reduced funding by $700 per pupil or approximately $20 million for UCS. However, state lawmakers last week released an that could reduce the cuts to schools by $200, or $5.8 million for UCS.

School officials said despite the good news, the first $100 of this funding would be earmarked for a one-time retirement cost reduction. The second $100 is contingent on districts meeting four out of five state-approved standards.

If the state school aid budget is passed as is, UCS funding will return to the operating level of the 2005-2006 school year.

UCS was facing a $36 million deficit for the year, but because of several sets of reductions, the district lowered the gap deficit to $19 million.  

The reductions included more than , such as , reduction of building and central office expenditures, , moving the district's AdvancePath program from a rented facility to a district-owned site and requiring community education to be a self-supporting program.

The layoff notices and elimination of positions represent additional changes to balance the district's budget prior to the new school year on July 1 in accordance with state law.

"The staff and parents that make up Utica Community Schools have a history of working together," Johns said.  "As we have so many times in the past, we need to put aside our frustration with the school funding process and continue to focus on our students within the constraints of our fiscal realities."