Budget woes means 3,400 education positions could be cut

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Budget cuts approved by the Missouri Legislature could result in the elimination of more than 3,400 positions in the state's public schools, according to a school administrators group.

The figures released Tuesday by the Missouri Association of School Administrators come in advance of a special legislative session that starts next Monday to consider Gov. Bob Holden's request to increase school funding, among other issues.

The legislature's budget for public schools, which Holden has pledged to veto, includes about $2 billion in basic aid to public schools -- a $163 million cut from the amount appropriated for the current year.

The administrators group surveyed all 524 Missouri school districts about how they were dealing with the cuts, receiving responses from 373 superintendents and using those responses to project a total number of staff reductions for the 2003-2004 school year.

According to their findings, the cuts could eliminate the positions of 2,038 certified school staff, such as teachers, counselors or administrators. Also eliminated could be 1,393 noncertified employees, such as school custodians, cafeteria workers and bus drivers.

"These budget cuts will undoubtedly result in an increase in class sizes in many districts, the elimination of educational programs and a step backward in meeting the educational needs of Missouri youth," said Gary Sharpe, executive director of the administrators association.

Republican legislative leaders questioned the job-loss projections and the motivation for releasing them so close to the special session.

"The timing is very suspicious and I think the claims are over-exaggerated," said Rep. Carl Bearden, R-St. Charles, chairman of the House Budget Committee.

He said that school administrators were perpetuating "large-scale mass hysteria."

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman John Russell said he doesn't expect the group's job-loss numbers to prove factual once the school year begins.

"I'm disappointed that they're jumping into the fray," said Russell, R-Lebanon. It seems as though the association "is trying to substantiate the governor's numbers and make it worse."

Holden has been claiming the Legislature's budget cuts could result in 3,000 teacher layoffs. His spokeswoman, Mary Still, said Tuesday his projection was based on the size of the state funding cut, a typical teacher salary and the fact that 75 percent of state aid goes to school salaries.

Still said the governor's office would start using the more precise figures developed by the school administrators group.

"Regardless of whether it's more than 2,000 or almost 3,000, a lot of teachers around the state are being laid off," Still said.

Russell said there is little chance schools will receive much more money as a result of the special session.

Bearden agreed. But he said some additional money could go to education because of legislation recently passed by Congress that directs less than $400 million in one-time aid to the state.

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On the Net:

Missouri Association of School Administrators: http://www.mcsa.org/masa