KATY -As part of the reductions aimed at
making up the $27 million shortfall in state funding in the 2011-12 budget, the
district began the process earlier today of notifying approximately 70
non-campus based employees that their positions will be cut.
Approximately
176 positions will be cut as part of this action. The number of staff members
actually impacted is lower than the number of positions cut due to vacancies
already created due to attrition. The affected positions are in central office
administrative and professional staff, non-campus based paraprofessional staff,
and maintenance and custodial personnel. In addition, individuals whose
positions are cut will be eligible to interview for positions that may exist at
the campuses.
“This phase
of cuts is necessary in order to hire back teachers and campus-based support
staff, and allows the district to continue payments for employee health
insurance and to maintain current transportation services,” said Katy ISD
Superintendent Alton Frailey. “As we saw our budget picture improve from what
all indicators were pointing to in the spring, our first step was to look at
our campus staffing to see how we could bring back as many teachers as
possible. While just as difficult as the first round of layoffs this spring,
reducing our staffing in non-campus based personnel allows us to bring back
teachers into the classroom where they are most needed.”
Frailey
added that while the loss of personnel in the maintenance and custodial
divisions will have an impact on services at the campuses and departments, the
district will work to mitigate any large negative impact this may create.
At its July
25 meeting, the Katy ISD Board of Trustees approved a campus staffing plan that
allowed for the rehiring of 214 out of 267 teachers who had originally lost
their jobs in April. At that time, the district was looking at a $50 million
dollar shortfall and a state mandated April 19 deadline to notify teachers of
their employment status for the 2011-12 school year. Between April and July,
more than 100 teachers were able to find other teaching positions within the
district as others voluntarily resigned or retired.
“The Board recognizes that this has been a
very difficult time for our employees and our community as we have had to
wrestle with the implications of reduced funding from the state,” said Katy ISD
Board President, Joe Adams. “Overcoming a $27 million funding shortfall is not
an easy task and I commend everyone who has worked diligently over the past
several months to ensure that we have a sound, fiscal budget for the upcoming
year.”
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