Portsmouth schools budget cuts avoid layoffs, but hurt elsewhere

PORTSMOUTH

School leaders aren't weighing massive layoffs to balance steep cuts, but employees and students would still feel some pain under the division's latest proposed budget for next year.

There would be fewer employees through attrition, larger class sizes and significant fee hikes in employee health care plans under Superintendent David Stuckwisch's proposed budget.

But because division leaders over the past five years have cut more than 360 positions through attrition to match a shrinking student population, they may be able to avoid laying people off. The jobs have helped the division save more than $5 million.

They had hoped to use the savings to continue to pay for employee raises and improve benefits, but now, with shrinking state dollars, the money will probably help keep people in their jobs, division leaders said.

State and city budget projections call for Portsmouth leaders to close about a $17 million shortfall.

The division's proposed budget calls for cutting about 110 positions, including 22 teachers. In addition, employees would see their paychecks shrink because they would be asked to contribute 3 percent of their income to the Virginia Retirement System. Currently they aren't required to make any contribution.

They would also pay 33 percent more for their health insurance to keep up with escalating costs.

Gail Pittman, executive director of the Portsmouth Education Association, said employees are glad to have a paycheck, but she's seen fear in the eyes of the least senior of them at the mention of a spike in health insurance costs.

"There are people paying $450 in health insurance per paycheck, and you multiply that by a third, that's a big burden to pick up," Pittman said.

Barbara Taber, a science teacher at Churchland High School, said the rising cost could mean the loss of more teachers.

"They won't have to worry about cutting positions," Taber said.

Educators' concerns go beyond the personal to the students they teach. They and others say larger classroom sizes and fewer teachers could make it more difficult to keep up with the state's accreditation standards.

For years, Portsmouth struggled to achieve full accreditation for all of its schools. This school year marked the first time the goal was met.

Jeff Pennington, a Portsmouth schools special-education teacher and vice president of the Portsmouth Education Association, said the division's teachers are also concerned about the impact on student performance of having fewer general paraprofessionals, or teaching assistants. The proposed budget calls for cutting 39 of the positions.

Without their help and that of others recommended for cuts, "teachers will have to find some superhuman strength to ensure we keep our kids successful," Pennington wrote in an e-mail.

The proposed budget calls for cutting 33 custodian positions and a total of 15 clerical and administrative positions.

Pennington and others are also concerned about the impact of a proposal to cut spending by 15 percent on materials and supplies and on services such as tutoring.

"Cuts in materials mean that either students will go without, or teachers will pocket an even greater expense to run their classroom," he wrote.

Taber sounded another note. "If they cut personnel and they cut money for equipment and supplies," she said, "that's going to affect how well we do our jobs with our students."

But Taber also spoke about how Portsmouth schools have become good at doing "more with less."

That's what leaders of the fine- and performing-arts magnet program at Churchland High are attempting to do. The proposed budget calls for eliminating its after-school program, which includes classes such as music theory and private music lessons, but leaders believe they have found ways to offer the music program during the regular school day.

Pete Beller, an adjunct teacher who has given private lessons for the program for six years, is making it a little easier for them to keep the program going. He has volunteered to teach lessons next year free of charge.

"I wouldn't want to lose the satisfaction at seeing these students progress," Beller said.

Cheryl Ross, (757) 446-2443, cheryl.ross@pilotonline.com