Layoffs are possible in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School
District despite officials saying the governor’s proposed budget will have no
negative effect in the short term.
That was the word from the school board’s Feb. 13 Finance
Committee meeting.
Superintendent John Sanville explained the governor’s
budget presentation, saying school districts will receive a Student Achievement
Block Grant instead of getting Social Security reimbursements, transportation
subsidies and basic education subsidy.
Sanville, in his first year as superintendent, said he believes this will be a “slowly growing
figure.”
But Sanville also
said that the figure is less than the district gets now and that in the future,
“State funding as a percentage of our revenue will decrease.”
The district is looking for ways to reduce its costs —
possibly through layoffs — and ways to increase revenue. School board members
are exploring ways to trademark school logos and sell naming rights.
Layoffs could cut the jobs of 10 teachers or 20 support
personnel. They are dependent on how the board transitions from a preliminary
budget that was passed in January, to a final budget that will be voted on in
June.
The preliminary budget for 2012-2013 calls for a 3.71
percent increase in Chester County. That increase is beyond the 1.4 percent Act
1 limit, but the board can go beyond the limit because it applied for
exceptions for pensions. If the final budget passes with those exceptions, then
layoffs would not be necessary, explained School Board Director Kathy Do after
the workshop.
If, however, the exceptions are denied or the board
decides not to go with them in the final budget, then the board will look at
the possibility of laying off teachers or staff.
Various scenarios will be discussed prior to and during
the budget hearings that begin in March.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
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