PLACENTIA : $92-Million School Budget Is Approved

Placentia Unified School District trustees approved a $92-million budget for 1991-92, hoping that the state’s financial picture will improve so that a series of cuts and layoffs can be rescinded.

The board’s action Tuesday followed about 45 minutes of emotional testimony from parents, who urged the board to save an array of programs that included elementary music and physical education classes. Others called on the district to reconsider plans to reassign some administrators to teach.

Still, school officials say that they have had to institute cuts and layoffs and restructure staffing to prepare for the worst-case scenario for education funding in the state budget, which is still pending before state lawmakers.

The district has made about $9 million in cuts compared to its 1991-92 budget, including eliminating all school counselors and nurses along with many psychologists, assistant principals and English-as-a-second-language instructors.

Last month, the district decided to cut 132 teaching and management positions along with 100 classified spots, including administrative aides and maintenance workers.

The cuts mean that elementary classroom teachers will take on physical education and vocal music instruction, as well as some first-aid duties now handled by nurses. Still, it is doubtful that the district will be able to offer students instrumental music lessons.

School officials say that they are still uncertain whether more money will be available from the state. Still, school site councils have been preparing “priority lists,” recommendations for which programs to restore first if funding become available.

For now, administrators are looking for ways to run schools with fewer assistant principals and counselors, who perform tasks such as scheduling classes and patrolling school grounds.

“We’re a ways away from having some real slick answers,” said Supt. James O. Fleming. “It’s going to take us some time.”