Saving Pasadena Unified Will Take Sacrifice From All of Us

OPINION

A student is reading a book while wearing a mask (Photo – PUSD)

District leaders and unions alike must show courage and share in the cuts to protect classrooms and student programs.

By Walt Beckett

On PUSD budget challenges, I recently wrote a third article in a series (see here and here for previous articles). In this article, I called for reductions in the central office and out of classroom staff and ending the longstanding practice of creating new positions for the career preservation of principals and school site staff.

Reductions proposed by senior staff

The district’s budget advisory committee has been meeting each week since September 24th.

The committee has received presentations on possible reductions in these areas:

• Safety Services: reductions of security officers, noon aides, behavioral assistants and project aides
• Career Technical Education teachers: reductions of teachers at all PUSD high schools in the career academies and pathways
• Coaching Services: reductions of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) coaches, which are special focus Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSAs) that serve at the school sites
• Student Services: reductions of librarians, counselors (except at Muir) and career financial aid advisors
• Athletics Services: reductions of stipends for coaches, transportation, site budgets (materials, equipment, supplies, uniforms)
• Family Engagement Services: reductions of Bilingual Community Assistant positions
• Health Programs and Mental Health Services: reductions of school nurses and health clerks, behavioral services positions, and social workers
• Technology Services: reductions of computer repair technicians, Chromebook pickup and drop off services, and helpdesk services
• Superintendent’s Zone Schools’ (Madison, Eliot, Washington Elementary) Services: reductions of long-term substitutes, project aides, extra security, bilingual/clerical assistants, MTSS coaches, and data analysis TOSAs
• School Administrative Services:  reductions of assistant principal and principal positions
• Special Programs: reductions in additional staffing for, or elimination of, the International Baccalaureate program, elementary music positions, international academy staff and STEM programs
• Clerical Services: elimination of school site positions and overtime hours

Better options for reductions

In previous articles, I recommended that senior staff propose significant reductions: 1) in central office middle management staffing, 2) in general TOSAs, and 3) in contracts with the many non-profit Pasadena agencies. This would require courage because it is more difficult to recommend these than the staffing reductions listed above. Central office middle management reductions and TOSAs are difficult because career preservation and advancement are among the highest priorities for the district.  These are their allies that make the senior staff’s and principals’ jobs a lot easier. Non-profit contracts are difficult because these firms carry huge political clout in Pasadena. These three types of reductions are far superior in lessening the harm done to the district than the reductions already presented to the committee.

Leadership by the Administration

I have called for leadership and courage in all of my articles, and for the district to tell the truth about the main factor driving this crisis. From 2021 to 2024, the 25 percent and higher raises given to all employees has made this crisis self-inflicted. The district gave very large raises to itself that increased its ongoing salary costs by roughly $50 million annually. This drained the one-time COVID era reserves it had, which caused high deficit spending that is now coming home to roost. To date, the district has not acknowledged this factor.

Leadership by senior staff would include admitting this and responding with proposed reductions in pay for all administrators. Senior administrative staff could set the example by announcing a voluntary reduction of their own pay. They received very large raises in recent years, so this is quite doable.

Given a $20 million budget shortfall, the Santa Rosa City Schools have just announced that their superintendent has agreed to an $18,600, 7.1% reduction in the current year, and similar reductions in the following two years. Assistant superintendents will be next, and then managers and school site administrators vote on reductions for themselves.

Administration could also have the tough conversations with the district’s many contractors, consultants, and non-profit service providers; to tell them they are reducing their contracts. Similar conversations can be held with the district’s many tenants, who operate on district property, to tell them they are raising their rental rates.

Finally, they could make the tough decisions to reduce middle management and general TOSA staffing. This would demonstrate that they understand that career advancement and preservation are not more important than the classroom staffing and site support services listed above for reductions.

Leadership by PUSD Unions

The leaders of the PUSD unions could respond by getting their members together and proposing pay reductions to save the jobs of their members slated for reduction. Just a 5% reduction in pay across the board would save approximately $10 million annually, and many jobs and programs considered for reduction. There has been no public indication that such actions have been considered by the leaders of the teachers or other district unions.

Veteran members would have to show leadership in agreeing to reduce their own salaries. One would think they would have concern for their junior members, as layoffs occur starting with the least senior members. That hasn’t been the case over the years. To their credit, the PUSD Teamsters union has in the past come to the table with concessions in order to save jobs when other unions didn’t.

Absent such leadership, the consequences of the large raises are the proposed reductions listed above. This would decimate staffing in the district. One would think that the district’s employees would like to help prevent that.

Walt Beckett is a resident of the San Gabriel Valley.