On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Board of Education gave the “ok” to cut $1.6 billion from the Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) budget for the next three years. The budget cuts will affect many and may include the total elimination of full-day kindergarten. Lay-offs will also occur for about 2,200 of the districts teachers and up to 2,000 other school employees.
LAUSD officials have already made about $700 million in cuts of the districts operating budget. This year’s books, summer school programs and art education were some of the first cuts to occur. The summer programs have been reduced in order to save money for the district. In addition to the summer programs, most summer school classes were canceled this year as well and by implementing this, the district saved about $34 million.
District officials estimate that more cuts will be made once the federal stimulus money runs out. They estimate the stimulus funds will run out by the 2011-2012 school year. This means that when the stimulus money does run out, officials will have to make almost $844 million in cuts. Distressing news for some to hear, but others say that the cuts are necessary.
