DeKalb teacher salaries under the knife

DeKalb County school officials have been warning for months that the system faces tough times financially, but discussions this week about layoffs and other budget-cutting measures indicate just how bad officials think things will get over the next few years.

Although system officials have backed off slightly on the number of workers expected to be laid off, other proposed cuts now on the table include some things previously thought safe — such as pay raises already approved for this school year.

Here’s a look at how the budget plan is shaping up.

ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK

• Actual workers cut, predicted earlier this month to be as many as 200, are now down to 127; total jobs cut would be 217. The difference includes jobs that are vacant or held by employees who this week accepted an early retirement offer. Employees affected by job cuts range from midlevel administrators to service technicians — but not teachers. Layoffs would take effect June 30.

• Program cuts would include driver’s education and the K9 police unit.

• Additional cuts could include step increases, set to take effect in January. The increases are salary supplements based on an employee’s years of experience. Central office administrators also face 2 percent pay cuts.

• Potential savings: $20 million.

• Off the table (for now): Cuts in the county’s pre-kindergarten program; borrowing money through a tax anticipation note — a short-term loan.

TOUGH CHOICES

The cuts are the biggest of several budget-slashing measures DeKalb schools face this year in the wake of a sour economy and state funding cuts. Officials said the district will lose at least $10.5 million in a midyear state budget cut. There are expectations that, given the economy, the state will cut at least another 1 percent of DeKalb’s school funding for the next school year. School board members told Superintendent Crawford Lewis to reduce staff during budget talks this spring. Salaries and benefits make up 91 percent of the system’s $894.1 million general operations budget. Lewis’ goal is to reduce that to 87 percent.

BREWING CONTROVERSY

No one wants layoffs, but it’s the elimination of step increases that may create the most flak. “The people who can find a job will leave the school system,” predicted David Schutten, president of the independent Organization of DeKalb Educators. His organization, which represents more than half of DeKalb’s 7,500 teachers, lobbied hard for school board members to pass the step increases. The increases are worth about $7.5 million. Cutting them would give the budget-strapped system wiggle room amid rumors the state could seek a second midyear budget cut.

A BOARD DIVIDED

During a discussion Tuesday, three members — Bebe Joyner, Cassandra Anderson-Littlejohn and Lynn Cherry Grant — publicly sniped at each other after Joyner and Anderson-Littlejohn chastised Lewis for not proposing more severe managerial cuts. All three declined to run for re-election this year and will leave the board in December. “I have not seen a restructuring; it’s just all, in my opinion, a bunch of fluff,” said Anderson-Littlejohn, a frequent critic of Lewis. In response, Lewis said: “We’re not trying to hide anything. It’s hard to start at 91 percent and, in one fell swoop, get to 87 percent. What you see here is a beginning and not the end.”

UNDER CONSIDERATION

Among budget-saving possibilities Lewis is considering during the next two years:

• once-a-month employee furloughs

• four-day workweeks in summer

• freeze on pay raises.

He also broached the possibility of a property tax increase, although that would have to be approved by a so-far reluctant board.

WHAT’S NEXT

A board vote on most of the plan has been suggested for Nov. 10, though that’s not definite. A vote on eliminating the step increase would be separate; it is not clear when that would happen.