With an $18 million budget for approximately 2,300 students, Templeton Unified School District [TUSD] is charged with trimming an additional $1 million.

Last year, the district had to trim $1.7 million from its annual budget, TUSD Chief Business Official Aaron Asplund said.

"We are really getting down to difficult choices," Asplund said, adding that a lot of extra costs had been trimmed in last year's cuts. "There are a lot less choices of what to cut.”

TUSD Superintendent Dr. Deborah Bowers said the district is slated to hand out 20 pink slips to teachers by March 15. Some of the pink slips could be rescinded based on factors such as retirements, funding from the state, the number of students enrolled and more.

"Those aren't final," Bowers said and noted that last year 30 people received pink slips. "Almost all of them were able to come back."

While the teachers will receive pink slips, Bowers said it is the last resort to lay off employees.

"We just can't cut enough," Bowers said. "It will necessitate cutting personnel as well."

Some things proposed to get trimmed from the budget include cutting the supply budget, only purchasing textbooks necessary textbooks, reducing transportation costs...



For the complete article see the 03-05-2010 issue.

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