RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR)—If Superintendent Dr. Yvonne Brandon’s budget proposal is passed by the School Board, then there could be hundreds of potential layoffs.
The Richmond school system faces an eleven-million shortfall. Dr. Brandon presented major changes to the School Board on Tuesday night to help close the gap.
Her suggestions would eliminate 65 teaching positions. This would be done through attrition, which means no layoffs; rather effort would be made to fill vacant positions.
In further detail, the proposal would eliminate 14 teachers from elementary schools, 10 from middle schools and 20 from high schools. The positions also include 21 instructional assistants and 4.5 clerical positions, for a total of 69.5 school positions lost.
This means that classrooms will be bigger for teachers and students. This is a move that would save the school district around three-million but would increase class size to 24 pupils per room.
Additionally Dr. Brandon proposed outsourcing for three departments; transportation, maintenance and security. It was projected that this move could save the school district $4.1 million. There are more than 500 people employed in these positions.
The total budget for the fiscal year, which begins July 1, was $246.5 million. The School Board has until February 19 to vote on the proposal.
