Compton : 16 Teacher Layoffs Canceled but Other Cuts Still in Effect

The Compton Unified School District board this week quietly rescinded 16 teacher layoffs that had been part of a $4.9-million emergency budget-cutting package.

Supt. J. L. Handy said the layoffs proved unnecessary because of higher-than-expected enrollment and the resignation of an unspecified number of teachers. In fact, the district may need to hire five or six additional teachers, he said.

Other elements of the money-saving plan are still scheduled to take effect, including plans to demote administrators, eliminate middle school librarians and reduce the nursing staff. About 60 to 70 non-teaching employees face layoffs.

The school board approved the cuts after the Los Angeles County Office of Education rejected two earlier school system budgets. Officials said the cuts were necessary after county analysts discovered that the district had overestimated its financial resources.

As in recent meetings, employees, parents and community members protested some of the cuts.

The two most vocal contingents at Tuesday’s board meeting were from Foster Elementary and Roosevelt Middle schools. Administrators have discussed replacing the principals at both sites with more senior administrators who otherwise would lose their current positions because of the budget cuts.

More than 450 parents signed a petition asking the district to keep acting Principal Melonka-Renaldo Turner at Foster. Staff members presented a petition with 50 signatures.

About a dozen parents asked the school board to keep Principal Joe Tolley at Roosevelt.