The Chesterfield school system is proposing to eliminate more than 500 positions, AP testing funding and the elementary IB program to make up for a $52 million budget shortfall.
Schools and department budgets would be reduced by 20 percent, and the expansion of foreign languages at elementary schools would be delayed and employees would be required to take two days without pay.
"To say that this is the most difficult budget process I have overseen as a superintendent would be a dramatic understatement," Marcus J. Newsome, superintendent of schools, said in a press conference Tuesday.
Newsome will present his proposed $551.5 million 2009-10 budget to the School Board at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The school system expects to lose $52 million in state and county revenue.
In a news conference, Newsome said that the school system would delay bus, vehicle and textbook replacement.
The 525 positions proposed for elimination included administrators, teachers and instructional aides. About half of those positions will be eliminated by attrition and positions which are currently unfilled, he said. He has asked school principals to submit their staffing needs based on student enrollment, he said.
All deans at the high schools and all administrative assistants at middle schools will be eliminated, and principals informed employees yesterday, Newsome said. Those employees would have a chance to apply for other positions, he said. Beginning Thursday, human resources will provide sessions for employees who need more information, Newsome said.
The school system will assist terminated employees to in training, job searches and counseling.
"We will not be able to determine individuals [who will be terminated] probably until April," he said. -- Juan Lizama
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