Despite deciding to spare several popular programs from budget cuts after hours of emotional testimony, the WCCUSD school board approved dozens of layoffs Wednesday night to help reduce a $127.2 million deficit.
The school board voted after community members spent nearly three hours asking trustees to preserve seven elementary music teaching positions, Kennedy High School staffing, Richmond High’s theater manager and De Anza High’s ROTC program. While those were spared, the board approved laying off dozens of employees, including teachers, custodians, paraprofessionals and administrators.
It is still unclear how many people will actually receive a “pink slip.” While close to 300 positions were eliminated, a third are vacant and another third (some overlapping) are grant-funded, meaning the district could end up having the money to keep them.
Districts must send layoff notices by May 15; however, districts can, and often do, rescind those notices through the end of June as budgets are finalized and vacancies open up.
The positions were saved by the district eliminating about $1.8 million worth of contracts identified by a review committee led by board president Guadalupe Enllana and board clerk Demetrio Gonzales-Hoy. About half of that ($971,000) will go toward replenishing two district reserve funds.
The job cuts, which were initially estimated to save $87 million, are a part of WCCUSD’s three-year fiscal solvency plan to eliminate its $127.2 million deficit. The school district also voted to close Betty Reid Soskin Middle School in El Sobrante and move staff and students to Pinole Middle School, about 1.5 miles away, across the freeway. WCCUSD also decided to phase out its K-eight schools and move those pupils into traditional elementary and middle schools. It’s also pulling millions of dollars from its reserves to balance the budget.
Four board members voted in favor of saving the handful of positions, with Trustee Jamela Smith-Folds abstaining. The board then unanimously approved the rest of the reductions.
“These actions of the board have to be more than performative. The definition of a Band-Aid is what we’re doing. We need to have an actual plan, a plan that is sustainable,” Smith-Folds said, explaining her abstention. “There is a lack of sufficient information to make an informed decision … Lack of sufficient information requires an abstention as a vote.”
Smith-Folds said without solid plans in place to secure ongoing funding for the positions that were saved, and years of additional cuts projected for WCCUSD, saving these positions and cutting certain contracts may put the district in a deeper deficit.
Gonzales-Hoy disagreed.
“All of our cuts are going to hurt students, so these recommendations are not gestures,” Gonzales-Hoy said. “I don’t agree with a lot of the cuts. Unfortunately, we have to make them … and to me, this is a win that we were able to get to this point to at least put a little bit back for our students.”
Layoffs to include teachers, principals, yard supervisors and many more
The board approved cutting five principals, six vice principals and three assistant principals positions. It also cut three counselor positions, five art teachers, seven music teachers, an elementary math coach as well as a theater and dance teacher. (Some are grant-funded so the positions could be restored.)
There were a total of 18 educators represented by United Teachers of Richmond who received layoff notices earlier this year, but it’s estimated that only three or four will be laid off, union president Francisco Ortiz told Richmondside Thursday.
There were also a number of teachers whose hours may be reduced, including Richmond High’s arts, media and entertainment/fashion and choir educator as well as an information and communications teacher at Hercules High School.
Middle school career exploration staff at DeJean and Pinole may also have reduced hours as well as DeJean’s arts, media and entertainment teacher. However, Ortiz said because those positions are grant-funded, the reductions are likely to be rescinded.
At Vista Virtual Academy, a hybrid school where students can learn online, no teachers were laid off, but three were involuntarily transferred to other district positions, leaving the school short-staffed.
Students, parents and teachers protested the decision, arguing that investing in Vista could boost enrollment by attracting students from outside the district.
Ruthy Whited, a Vista eighth-grader, came to Wednesday’s board meeting with her parents in hopes of changing the board’s mind.
“Vista is a refuge, and all its students are refugees. Whether we fled from bullying or just want an alternative to the social experiment gone wrong that regular middle and high school is, we are all part of a community of odds and ends that is held together with the love and passion that our educators provide,” Whited told the board. “To steal from refugees, refugee children, and deprive them of the quality education they’ve chosen and deserve, is to rob them of their futures.”
Erin Calentine, a supervising teacher at Vista, said cutting three teachers means 70 students won’t be able to attend the school next year.
“Please have nightmares about what you’re doing,” Calentine told the board.
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“Music is the first place many children feel successful in school, where a quiet student finds their voice, a struggling student discovers confidence.”
— Nicole Ripley, WCCUSD parent
The Teamsters, who represent workers including clerical, food service, maintenance, paraprofessionals in special education and campus security, saw about 50 filled positions cut, including nine custodians, two gardeners and other maintenance staff, according to district documents. It’s unclear how many will be laid off or transferred into other positions.
WCCUSD also cut the position of bilingual paraprofessional, but that person could be moved elsewhere in the district. Board trustees also voted to cut one security contract in hopes of moving that work in house, but simultaneously cut two campus safety specialists.
In addition to the 50 filled positions, 81 vacant Teamster positions were eliminated. The cut vacant positions include 73 paraprofessional positions and eight custodian positions.
The district also cut half of its elementary schoolyard supervisor positions. Several concerned parents spoke against this at the school board meeting.
Fairmont Elementary School parent Jen Douglas said the reduction in staff means that students will be limited by where they can play outside. Moreso, she worries that without proper supervision, students won’t be as safe and bullying could increase.
“I told my daughter why I was coming here, and she was absolutely devastated because our children will not have access to grass … We’re removing their ability to get outside and exercise … and play,” Douglas told the board. “The lack of safety and lack of ability to get their energy out is going to make school an unpleasant place and make learning hard.”
There are also several staff who work at the front desk, or in other spaces on school grounds that will be laid off. De Anza High school students tried to save their office manager’s position, Leticia Mendoza, who they affectionately call “Letty,” by starting a petition, but were unsuccessful.
Several contracts cut, district hopes to move services in house
In addition to staff cuts, the board cut six contracts and saved about $1.8 million — but not all contracts were cost saving measures.
Over the course of eight meetings, committee members reviewed contracts involving special education, transportation, school climate, Title IX, athletics, educational services, information technology, legal services, and community engagement.
A central theme emerged early in the process: The district was growing increasingly dependent on outside consultants and contractors.
“We reviewed 20 different small departments and hundreds of contracts,” Gonzales-Hoy told Richmondside. “It really opened our eyes to the reality that we are reliant too strongly on consultants and contractors.”
There were a number of contracts the district could not cut because it did not have employees to do that work. For example, the Ed Fund (Richmond based nonprofit) provides grant writing and data gathering services for community schools work at WCCUSD, but there is no department or person in WCCUSD who can take on that work. Instead of using those nonprofit funds, WCCUSD has to pay to outsource that work.
“In the last few years, every year, we’ve had to make cuts in various levels. And every time we’ve cut people that do a certain service, the district has turned around and realized, ‘Oh, we don’t have the expertise or the management or the time to do that work that we just cut. So let’s hire a contractor to do it,’” Gonzales-Hoy said.
The biggest contract cut, $556,000, was related to legal resources for human resources. The committee also recommended that the district get quarterly updates with measures of how and why legal counsel is being contacted and used in an effort to further reduce costs.
Trustee Leslie Reckler, who was not part of the committee, said the district should seriously consider hiring an attorney (as well as a legal secretary and paralegal) because the contracting costs are too high.
“I know that there’s added expense, but I believe that it would also decrease expenses (in the long run),” Reckler said at the meeting. “We’re getting ripped off. I know we’re getting ripped off. And if we had an attorney that could not only traffic, but could give us our own advice, the bill would come down.”
She suggested at the very least the district go out to bid again for legal services to see if there are cheaper options.
Reckler also suggested looking into joint power authorities to combine contracts with nearby public entities that could bring contract costs down — especially for contracts like iReady and EduClimber (both of which were cut, saving about $345,000) where multiple districts or perhaps the county may want testing and data collection.
In special education, the committee changed the goal to hire about 60% of paraprofessionals inhouse and cap contractors at 40%. The district also cut $400,000 of SPG therapy’s contract.
WCCUSD is also looking to move charter school oversight back in house. It is currently paying $40,000 to Edmetrix to do that work.
In security, the district will shift night and weekend security services inhouse, axing its $450,000 contract with American Global Security. However, it will not save or increase costs because those dollars will be used to increase security staff and training.
About half of the district’s $1.8 million in contract savings will be put back into its reserves.
Smith-Folds called the $971,000 added to reserves “budget dust,” compared to the millions that were extracted out. Superintendent Cheryl Cotton agreed that it’s not much but is still worthwhile.
“We need to kind of get that muscle of keeping that (reserve) Fund 17 and Fund 71 in mind, and when we do come into other funding,” Cotton said. “We’ve got to continue to pay back into those reserves.”
About $1 million will be used to retain the seven elementary band teachers, $215,000 will be allocated so that Kennedy High does not have to make any cuts and $131,000 will be used to keep the theater manager position. The theater manager salary is $171,000, so the difference will come from $40,000 in facility use fees.
The future of elementary band remains uncertain
About half of the school board meeting attendees were there to advocate for saving the elementary school band teachers.
Jane Magid, who teaches band in the Richmond and El Cerrito area, said she isn’t euphoric about the last-minute reprieve because she worries the same conversation will happen again next year.
“I’m kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop, and it does affect my job calculations,” Magid told Richmondside after the vote. “I would love to stay and retire but what I just heard was not, ‘Oh, we have seen the light. Music education is the path.’
“What I heard was, ‘We’ll squeeze out a little bit, but we’re doing it reluctantly and not really sure we’re going to keep doing that ever again,’ ” she continued.
Magid has been with the district since 2005 and said she is worried how seven teachers will be able to serve the 2,000 elementary students in band.
At the meeting, trustees conceded that there will have to be restructuring in services, noting that where teachers go will be based on demand.
“But that is an equity problem,” Magid said. “There is more demand in wealthier places.”
Joan Hadeschi, a WCCUSD music teacher in Hercules, said about 50% of the elementary school students sign up for music classes. In Richmond that number is closer to 45% and across WCCUSD it is 30%.
“I have 225 students. I teach nine classes a day, two days a week, seven classes a day, two other days a week,” Hadeschi said. “I’m not sure how it’s going to look next year.
Hadeschi said she wished the district better understood how art programs like music help encourage and inspire students to continue and thrive in their education. For example, at Richmond High, only 81% of students graduate (which ranks in the bottom 50% of high schools in California) — but its band program students have a 100% graduate rate.
Several students and parents shared similar sentiments.
Parent Nicole Ripley said saving some teachers is better than none, but the district needs a better long-term plan to keep investing in music education.
“Music is the first place many children feel successful in school, where a quiet student finds their voice, a struggling student discovers confidence,” Ripley told the school board. “It’s also about the future of our district. Parents notice that there are fewer opportunities for kids. They are leaving. Arts enrollment is part of that. Enrollment’s declining.”
Kennedy won’t see staffing cuts but classes may be
Perhaps the loudest voices at Wednesday’s meeting came from the Kennedy High School community, which was initially slated to see more staffing and course cuts than any other high school. Kennedy was asked to cut 2.4 fulltime equivalent positions, threatening electives including leadership, journalism, construction tech and ethnic studies.
“We have kids out here literally begging for classes, like ethnic studies, Spanish for Spanish speakers, coding classes,” Kennedy science teacher Kumi Yanagihara told the board. “Is this not embarrassing for y’all?”
While the cuts didn’t happen,uncertainty remains. Ethnic studies teacher Jackie Avedano, who has taught at Kennedy for five years, — will be transferred to Richmond High.
“I can’t put into words how heartbreaking it was to announce to my ninth-grade students that I (was leaving),” Jackie Avedano said. “They were silent. Some had tears in their eyes, and many came up to me one by one to give me a hug. Some shouted, ‘Is there anything we can do? This is not fair. I’m transferring to Richmond High,’ amongst many other comments.”
Students and alumni repeatedly urged the board to preserve the courses, with some demanding their turn to speak.
“Make this make sense to me … the whole school loves Ms. Avendano … we love Miss Huerta, Ms. Blanco, and you guys want to cut all the positions? What’s wrong with y’all?” student Lupita Marin told the board. “It’s like you guys are on crack.”
The community is still trying to save the class and circulated a petition that had 452 signatures, including prospective students who were excited to take the class, which typically is offered freshman year.
After countless emails, public comments and meetings with administrators and district officials, Kennedy High agreed to redo its choice sheets to include ethnic studies as a potential class. Whether it’s kept next year depends on how many students express interest in it. Ultimately it’s up to the school’s administration.
The school is also at risk of losing its Spanish for Spanish speakers classes, a course specifically designed by Kennedy teachers for students who speak Spanish as their first language.
At the beginning of the school year the AP Spanish literature class was also at risk of being cut, but the decision was reversed because of student and teacher advocacy.
“About a year ago, I stood here before you advocating for my Spanish literature and culture class. And today, I obviously aced the AP exam today,” Kennedy High Senior Class President Elias Avalos said. “But it was because I came here and I advocated, and you listened to my voice, that you allowed for that class to be restored. It is because you allowed me the opportunity that I was able to excel, to prosper, and here I am again, asking you to do the same thing.”
Another senior, Hector Perez, said he was tired of having to come to school board meetings without seeing much change. Junior Kaylee Kefkin said she should be studying for her AP exam but she came to the school board meeting because she is worried there may not be any AP classes for her to take next year.
“I’m also here because I wouldn’t be willing to stand here before you, neither would most of my classmates, if it weren’t for what we learned in our ethnic studies classes,” Kefkin said. “And my leadership class has taught me that I need to stand up for my classmates and help foster a community among them.”
Nayeli Hernandez, who teaches U.S. history and leadership at Kennedy, said she was seriously considering leaving the district if the leadership class became part-time. She said she wasn’t the only teacher at Kennedy weighing her options.
“It’s a fulltime job and I was already working after hours because that’s what the students deserve,” Hernandez told Richmondside. “It’s a lot of work.”
Her fifth-grade son Emiliano also spoke at the board meeting and said he is excited to go to Kennedy High because all the events his mom took him to seem fun. But he currently goes to a charter school. Hernandez said it was a hard decision, especially because she teaches at WCCUSD, but she wanted more stability for him.
“Our students should be focusing on preparing for AP exams, pursuing their goals and enjoying their high school experience, not sitting in board meetings every other week, organizing meetings with administrators, or worrying about whether the programs they depend on will disappear,” Hernandez said. “It’s May and there’s still so much uncertainty hanging over the students and dedicated staff.”
