THOUSAND OAKS : School District Plans $2.8 Million in Cuts

The Conejo Valley Unified School District, facing a huge budget shortfall for the second year in a row, has proposed making $2.8 million in cuts that would eliminate nearly 40 district positions.

A majority of the cuts, however, will not affect teachers or most teaching programs, Assistant Supt. Leean Nemeroff said.

“There will be no teacher layoffs in the district this year, but there will be some relocating of teaching staff,” Nemeroff said. Teachers who work in special programs designated for elimination will be placed in other teaching positions, she said.

Under the district’s proposal, presented Thursday, cuts will come from district office administrative and other staff, special teaching positions, non-teaching positions and supplies, equipment and services.

Supt. William R. Seaver said the proposed cuts are based on a projected 0.29% cost-of-living raise from the state and a continued decrease in state lottery funds.

Nearly 60 parents and several teachers from Walnut Elementary School attended the meeting to protest the elimination of teachers in a special remedial reading program.

The California School Employees Assn. asked the board to freeze all salaries, including those of teachers, rather than eliminate jobs. If district employees agree not to take the 6% raise for 1992-93 guaranteed by contract, the district could save an estimated $2.3 million, said Stan McClain, president of the group’s Conejo chapter.

The union represents about 500 non-teaching employees, McClain said.

Board member Dolores Didio said the board will look at the possibility of reducing hours of some positions in place of eliminating others.

Board members are expected to vote on the proposed cuts May 14.