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Dayton schools to cut $9M, 294 jobs

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By Margo Rutledge Kissell, Staff Writer Updated 12:29 PM Wednesday, May 18, 2011

DAYTON — Dayton Public Schools is the latest of several area districts to announce staff cuts in an effort to stem budget shortfalls.

Dayton Board of Education President Nancy Nerny, a retired teacher, called cutting 294 positions, including 139 teaching jobs, “a really hard decision” but a necessary one to keep the district afloat financially.

The cuts are part of $9 million in reductions that are needed to balance the district’s budget as part of its five-year forecast, which must be submitted to the state by May 31.

The board’s 6-1 approval of the forecast Tuesday night clears the way for the district to make the cuts.

District officials said the cuts are in response to an estimated $15 million decrease in revenue for fiscal year 2012 as a result of reductions in state assistance and tax reimbursements, local property tax collections, and the loss of federal stimulus funding. Dayton Public Schools Treasurer Stan Lucas likened it to “a perfect storm.”

The cuts, which will take effect July 1, include 140 support staff such as teacher aides and bus drivers, as well as 15 administrators including 11 principals and assistant principals.

“No corner of our district has been untouched by the cuts we have had to make,” said Superintendent Lori Ward, who notified the leaders of the district’s 13 collective bargaining units Tuesday morning.

“Job cuts at that level are devastating to us both at the personal level, because people are losing their jobs, and at a professional level,” Dayton Education Association President David Romick said.

Affected employees will be notified in the coming weeks. Some positions will be absorbed through attrition, but those numbers won’t be known until later this summer.

The Tuesday announcement comes on the heels of similar cuts at other area school districts, though none as large as the reductions Dayton Public is grappling with. In recent months, Huber Heights laid off 18 teachers and 16 paraprofessionals, Fairborn cut 33 full-time jobs, including many teachers, and Xenia cut 76 jobs and closed two elementary schools.

State and county governments have been preparing to help teachers in the event of mass layoffs.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has directed counties to prepare a Rapid Response Plan to help displaced workers cope with job loss and find new employment.

The Ohio Education Association — representing 130,000 unionized school employees — has predicted a dire scenario.

An analysis by the OEA estimates 10,860 Ohio education jobs could be eliminated in fiscal year 2012, based on the state budget, the loss of stimulus funding and phase-out of state tax reimbursements.

The region, including Montgomery, Miami, Greene, Warren, Preble, Clark and Butler counties, could lose 1,298 of those positions.

“We’re still hoping it’s not thousands of teachers in Ohio, but we’re going ahead and planning for the reality it could be,” said Lucious Plant, administrator of Montgomery County’s Workforce Development Division. “You can’t wait until you see smoke before you start doing it.” He anticipated the plan should be in place by July 1.

Board member Joe Lacey voted against the resolution because he believes the district could save jobs by making other cuts, such as eliminating the district’s choice schools, which would save on transportation costs, he said.

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