East SJ School District Fights To Avoid Consolidations, Layoffs
SAN JOSE (KCBS)— The 12,000 student Alum Rock Union Elementary School District is facing a $10 million budget deficit this year, meaning they could face school consolidations, teacher layoffs and program cuts.
Enrollment at the East San Jose district has dropped by 2,000 over the last five years and, according to School Board President Dolores Marquez, the cuts will likely be necessary to close the budget gap.
"We have 26 schools in our district right now and, because of the decline in enrollment that we've had in the past few years, we have schools that are sitting with very low student populations," said Marquez.
On the brighter side, voters passed a $125 million bond measure last November to improve school facilities.
East San Jose School District Faces Consolidations, Teacher Layoffs And Program Cuts
"It will allow us to look at fixing up some of the schools that didn't get fixed up with the last bond," she said.
She said they'll also be able to bring in new technology
"Technology always becomes obsolete, and so you end up with some kind of technology in the schools that we really should upgrade," she said.
The superintendant will release his list of recommended cuts on Thursday.
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