School Board Freezes Spending in 4 Areas

Faced with deep budget cuts next year, the Los Angeles Board of Education agreed Monday to immediately freeze spending in four areas.

Proposed by Board Member Roberta Weintraub, the freeze prohibits hiring of some outside consultants and spending on new programs, unless cuts are made in other areas to pay for them.

It also requires that regional and central office job vacancies be left vacant unless approved by a special district freeze committee, and bars job reclassifications that require salary increases.

The freezes could save less than $1 million this year, far short of the $115 million to $180 million in spending reductions that may be necessary in the 1990-91 budget, financial experts say.