Feb. 13, 2006: NSA urges equitable budget cuts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE —Feb. 13, 2006

Don’t cut the budget on the backs of neighborhood schools
Any cuts in next year’s PPS budget must be equitably distributed

NSA CONTACTS: NE-Lakeitha Elliott, 503-484-4930; N-Nancy Smith, 503-285-0500; SE-Cindy Young, 503-232-6559; SW-Ruth Adkins, 503-977-2933

Portland, Ore. - As PPS decision makers discuss ways to handle the impending budget crisis, the parents and other community members of the Neighborhood Schools Alliance encourage the Board and Superintendent to craft a budget that spreads the burden of cuts equitably among all students and workers in the district.

Without a replacement for the local option, and until there is a statewide funding solution, these are tough times for EVERYONE in the district. Our neighborhood schools and the District’s lowest paid workers (such as maintenance or custodians) should not bear the brunt of these cuts. If everyone shares the burden equitably, together we can make it through this latest challenge to our public schools.

Although there are no good choices with a $57 million budget shortfall, for equity and common sense NSA proposes:

• Cut school days, not staff, so that schools with large foundations cannot buy their way out of the crisis and so that we do not lose our teachers. By instituting a four-day school week, instead of cutting weeks off the year, PPS can better meet the educational needs of all its students. If school days are cut, PPS should work with parents, the City and County and community groups to ensure that all students have a safe place to go during those days.
• Rescind previous commitments to expanding special programs at the Japanese Immersion Magnet and the Mandarin Immersion Magnet schools.
• Cut extra FTE that was granted to individual magnet schools (e.g., Buckman and DaVinci).
• Rescind any charter school approvals granted in the last 6 months.
• Impose 10% pay cut for all PPS administrators, from principals to Superintendent
• School closures should not be on the table because of their high costs.* Every school closure costs the district in a myriad of ways, including exodus of families from PPS, erosion of neighborhoods, increased transportation costs, and most important, decreased trust in the district.

PPS's image can change. This is not a time for increased PR, it is a time to act with honesty and forethought. It is time for PPS to genuinely reach out to parents, their primary customers, and LISTEN. It is time to demonstrate commitment to equity and democracy in every decision.

* For example, since the 2003 proposal to close Edwards, NSA conservatively estimates there are 53 children of Edwards families who will not attend PPS schools, most of whom left because of the threat of closure or actual closure. Many of the parents of these families were highly involved in the school, including a PTA president, PTA vice president, four school foundation members, a site council member, and the before-school Spanish program coordinator.
Losing 53 students from PPS translates to an ongoing financial loss of $265,000/year to the district from just one school closure.

The Neighborhood Schools Alliance is a diverse group of parents, teachers, and community members from all areas of Portland working together to support and strengthen our neighborhood schools.
For more information on NSA and to sign up for NSA updates & info, visit: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NSANews/ Website coming soon!
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