Santa Cruz school district approves plan to cut positions

The governing board of Live Oak School District approved a plan Wednesday to eliminate or alter job positions in order to address its ongoing budget crisis, Lookout Santa Cruz reported. 

According to Lookout, among the district’s list of cuts are seven elementary school teachers, a school psychologist, one full-time-equivalent special education instructional aide, the equivalent of 1.5 full-time recess coaches, 3.93 full-time-equivalent reading/math instructional aides and the equivalent of over four full-time family liaisons. 

The approved plan also includes decreasing a director of curriculum and instruction position to part time and reducing the hours of two administrative roles: a fiscal analyst and an education services worker. 

In January, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education advised Live Oak School District that it needed to cut millions of dollars, the Lookout reported. Last month, the school district approved a plan to eliminate as many as 51.29 full-time-equivalent positions, including those in the classroom. 

The district will submit its plan and its latest budget report to the county education office for review and issue the preliminary layoffs by March 15.