YC schools ax 56 more positions

Forty-four teaching positions and 12 other staff jobs were cut Wednesday in a second round of Yuba City Unified School District layoffs that officials say are spurred by new proposed state funding cuts to schools.

"It's a very tough time in education," said Craig Guensler, assistant superintendent of human resources for Yuba City Unified. "No layoff is easy."

Trustees, meeting again after adopting an $88.7 million budget Tuesday, approved the layoffs that may be reduced in number by the next school year.

Dina Luetgens, president of the Yuba City Teachers Association, said she believes 30 of the teaching positions may be filled when school starts.

Luetgens had said during the review of the school district budget that spending $1.5 million in federal stimulus funds over the next year would save the jobs. She said Wednesday after the cutbacks won unanimous approval by trustees that she is very disappointed at the layoff decision.

"They could have avoided all of them," Luetgens said.

District officials have said they face reduced state funding for education after the defeat of state ballot propositions in May — and that spending all federal funds would pose financial problems for the following year.

All but one of the 44 teaching positions cut are in elementary education. The other is a position at Yuba City High School. Staff cuts include eliminating two computer technicians, a custodian and a personnel specialist.

The new round of layoffs follow May cutbacks that included 27 teaching positions and eight in counseling.

As with the first layoffs, hearings will be scheduled before a state administrative law judge for employees seeking such a review. Those hearings will be held in July.