114 AISD jobs on the chopping block

AUSTIN (KXAN) - More than 100 Austin school district positions could be eliminated to balance the budget for the 2010-2011 school year. The district faces a $7 million deficit out of their $700 million annual operating budget. The shortfall is expected to double in 2012.

"We're dealing with one percent of our expenditure budget, that certainly does not constitute a crisis," said Chief Financial Officer Nicole Conley-Abram.

The trustees must decide if they will declare financial exigency at their Feb. 22 meeting. It is a policy requirement, and a step that must be taken before cutting positions and canceling contracts before they expire.

"It's not a negative blemish, but it's actually very preemptive," said Conley-Abram. "It allows us to make reductions strategically."

The CFO said a total of 114 positions out of 12,000 could potentially be impacted. 68 central office positions may be eliminated and 46 positions on school campuses may be cut. Classroom teachers will be safe, but Conley-Abrams said principals on individual campuses will have to decide if they can live without certain school improvement personnel and program facilitators.

There will be a chance for those affected to apply for other openings, and slide into different roles.

"We want to make sure we can keep our best people, treat all those that may ultimately lose their position with respect and hopefully give them an opportunity to find another job in the district," said AISD Board of Trustees President Mark Williams.

The superintendent sat down with the board Monday night to discuss the options.

The spectator seats were filled with parents, teachers and students holding up homeade signs that illustrated their desire to stop the board from voting on a plane to reconfigure boundary lines with the addition of a new elementary school. The district is trying to even out students at overcrowded and under capacity schools.

Boone Elementary second grader Johnette Janecka, 8, arrived with her mother who had a sign that read 'Send Plan 3 back to the drawing board.'

"I don't want our teachers to go away," said Johnette.

Boone PTA member said the assistant principal may move to part-time, and counselors and teachers will be relocated.

"When you start taking away key players from a school morale is gonna drop," said PTA member Jennifer Waits.

With all of the attention on the board there is more pressure than ever to make the right calls because the crisis could be around the corner.

"Are we in an emergency financial crisis today? No," said Williams. "But hopefully this is good, smart planning when you look at the horizon. The two to three year horizon. It's gonna get a lot worse before it gets better."