The San Diego Unified School District officials are appealing to the public to help find ways to reduce spending in the district, which has faces a $120 million budget deficit next year.
The district has cut $400 million from its budget during the past three years largely without layoffs or closing of schools. Proposed budget cuts for next year include more than 1,000 layoffs and closing some schools.
Cuts to classroom programs would affect the education of the district's 130,000 students. About half of those students are Latino. Many are learning English.
New trustees Kevin Beiser and Scott Barnett successfully championed the creation of a committee that would look at the district's finances and recommend ways to increase efficiency and save money after they were sworn into office in December. The goal of the committee is to keep reductions from affecting classroom programs too much.
The Operations and Efficiency Committee will form so-called "Tiger Teams" that will take 30 to 45 days to review the district's departments and make recommendations. "Any member of the public can participate," Barnett said.
The committee will initially target human resources, transportation, information and technology and special education.
The committee will include district employees and members of the community with expertise in the areas being analyzed.
Trustees John Lee Evans and Richard Barrera joined Beiser and Barnett to pledge their support for the committee.
Barrera, the board's president, said he would "make sure everybody is represented in these committees."
Barrera represents District D, which includes Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, Stockton, Sherman Heights, Golden Hill, South Park, North Park, Hillcrest and City Heights.
Leonel.sanchez@sandiegored.com
[sidebar]Members of the public with suggestions or who would like to become a member of a Tiger Team can send an e-mail to efficiency@sandi.net. A website has also been established for this effort at sandi.net.
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