LAUSD Teachers Set For Budget Fight Over Pay Cuts, Staffing

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District are urging officials to restore pay cuts and boost the number of nurses, librarians and other key positions as part of a proposed $6.8 billion budget plan for the coming school year.

KNX 1070's Claudia Peschiutta reports the school board held a public hearing ahead of a June 24 vote on the proposal put forth by Superintendent John Deasy for the 2014-2015 school year.

Under the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), the district must approve a budget plan by June 30, but United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) president Warren Fletcher says the union is seeking dramatic changes before any final approval.

"The budget that's being proposed doesn't really reflect the priorities that the community and that the voters of Southern California reflected when they adopted Proposition 30," Fletcher said.

Prop 30, which was passed by voters in 2012 and supported by the California Teachers Association, raised California's sales tax to 7.5 percent from 7.25 percent.

School Board member Steve Zimmer told KNX1070 NEWSRADIO the LCAP will play a major role in how the LAUSD will spend its money in the coming year.

"We have to show that for every dollar that the public gives for public education that we are producing results," Zimmer said.

However, Fletcher is calling for tax revenue from Prop 30 to be used to pay back teachers for sacrifices made during the recession, as well as restore the number of counselors, nurses, librarians and social workers per student in the LAUSD, which falls far below the national average, according to UTLA.

"We see a budget that doesn't provide for fair increases," he said.

Deasy declined to comment on tape, but did say the LAUSD is trying to support UTLA and all other labor partners in the 640,000-student school district.