Economy
Boise Schools To Layoff Teachers, Staff
March 12, 2009 
Although the details are too complex to enumerate here, look for some major personnel cuts at the Boise School District–both in certified teachers and classified staff.
Here is an excerpt of a memo sent to employees Wednesday:
“Based on current revenue projections and our recent history of declining enrollment, the Boise District will be forced to significantly reduce expenses for the 2009-10 school year, perhaps as much as $10 million. Though we are examining every District program, and attempting to find savings in supplies, materials, and other resources, 86% of District expenditures are in personnel. It stands to reason, then, that the bulk of the reductions made will need to be in the area of administrative, certified, and classified staff.”
We have heard that pink slips will be going out early next week to those generally hired new this year.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Mar 12, 2009, 2:35 pm
As usual, our children will suffer! Our education is lacking as it is, and they want to cut teachers? Unbelievable.. How much did they alocate to killing off the wolves? Maybe that money should go to our schools?? What’s more important?
Mar 12, 2009, 3:39 pm
Shaunna, Take a moment to reread the memo. 84% of Boise Schools budget pays for personnel. Then take into account- the State of Idaho’s budget for schools is 63.5%. It is would be virtually impossible for schools to escape the current financial situation.
My wife is a teacher and will not be directly affected by the budget cuts. This round of cuts may not be as bad as it sounds. Until BSD knows who will be retiring, these are decisions that must be made.
Mar 12, 2009, 3:48 pm
There are many state programs that should be cut out all together. Education should be the last on the list to take cuts.
Mar 12, 2009, 3:52 pm
Declining enrollment?! Mr. Guardian, your fondest dreams are being realized and Boise is not growing! Less kids in school means less people having kids or people moving out. I wonder how long this trend will continue. All the restaurants are closings. Local policy seems to be killing everything. Concerts are now being held in Nampa. Boise will soon become that sleepy little town everyone always wanted.
Mar 12, 2009, 3:56 pm
“…most livable city…”
“…quality of life…”
“…family values…”
“…children are our future…”
No civilization in history has ever gone bankrupt educating its people ~Unknown
Once again, we need a city hall more concerned with actual livability than with livability slogans!
Mar 12, 2009, 3:58 pm
I s’pose if they got rid of PR spokesman Dan Hollar, there wouldn’t be anybody left who could write the memo about the layoffs, huh?
Mar 12, 2009, 6:21 pm
The Boise school district is a bloated pig. Layoff a few over-paid under-worked pencil pushing administrators first. How many principals are needed at each school? Answer 1 How many assistant principals does a school need? Answer 1. Idaho has 44 counties, why are there not 44 school districts?
Mar 12, 2009, 8:19 pm
It is my understanding that the Boise Independent School District exists because Boise had a school system before Idaho became a State, and they were grandfathered in.
Mar 13, 2009, 6:23 am
If enrollment is down, then I have to agree with lay offs. But I also would like to see big cuts in administration cost. I think that area has been over paid for a long time.
Mar 13, 2009, 10:03 pm
To the Board – Let the entire PR department go before you let a single teacher go. If not you will see at least two contested seats this next election. It is time to do the right thing or face loosing your seats.
Mar 14, 2009, 9:02 am
Being a former technology instructor, and having both parents who were teachers, I am NOT a proponent of the current Babysitting/Propaganda Indoctination System posing as an education system.
The current system is ‘teaching’ children at half the speed of the slowest dolt in the class and boring the children to tears. Other countries produce twice the education in half the time. Our current model is not worth saving.
What is really being taught in our schools is conformity.
Children are being taught how to be subservient to authority so that when they enter the fascist corporate/government workfarce, they do their job, and don’t question the devastation that our economic system is causing to the environment and our basic humanity.
How else can energetic, liberal young minds be programmed to accept greed, envy, sloth, and all of the other ‘sins’ as good and desireable. Our system turns conventional values upside down for the sake of profit so you must do more than teach it, you must indoctrinate the young minds.
I say… teach them reading and basic math and then let them work at a real job; or dive into a largely self education model and earn their right to higher education every step of the way through performance.
Mar 15, 2009, 5:22 pm
“There are many state programs that should be cut out all together. Education should be the last on the list to take cuts.”
Roberto, why do educators believe they should be exempt from the hard times that effect every other taxpayer, you know, the folk who pay the taxes that provide the salaries and benefits. Folk are losing work, having their hours cut, and seeing their investment dive but educators want to opt out.
I have an idea…how about asking educators to spread the loss of money from government equally to prevent job loses…say 5-6% each. Then no one loses their job.
Cutting pay and benefits for union teachers…scary idea that.
Mar 16, 2009, 1:32 pm
For those who wonder about administrative positions, here is the list:
Superintendent
2 Executive Directors- 1 for operations, 1 for curriculum
4 Area Directors
District Athletic Director
Asst. Athletic Director
2 Administrators- 1 for Staff Development, 1 for Instructional Development (how do
those two differ?)
8 Content Area Directors
4 Content Consulting Teachers
8 Special Education Directors and Supervising Teachers
Human Resource Director
2 Human Resource Managers
Payroll Manager
2 Food Service Managers
Public Affairs Director
Purchasing Manager
Custodial Manager
Operations Director (not the same person as the Operations Executive Director above)
plus 10 division Foremen and 10 asst. Foremen
Technology Administrator
Transportation Administrator
And almost everyone of these people have an Administrative Assistant assigned to them.
This doesn’t include all of the other people that work at the DSC, such as
secretaries, clerks. interventionists, technicians, support positions, program
coordinators, etc.
And I bet that most of those listed above make more than ANY teacher in the
district! (Since almost every one of them was “promoted” to these positions)
Mar 29, 2009, 6:26 pm
JIMV,
As a teacher I’ve always thought that educators should share in the burden of a bad economy…but don’t forget…teachers did not share the matching 401’s and huge X-mas bonuses, stock options etc. that the Micron and other private sector workers enjoyed the past decade. Some of those employees made more $$$$ in 5-10 years than a teacher will make in a 40 year career!
If teachers are not allowed to share in the good times, why should they take salary cuts and layoffs in the bad times?
private sector employees are the hare while teachers are the tortoise when it comes to pay…you cant ask the tortoise to lose both ways.
and to put a myth to rest, teachers do not get paid for summer break. We are paid per day that we teach…just like a construction worker gets paid for the time on a project…then gets time off between them