Schools Feel Squeeze of Doing More With Less

Perhaps as never before, the new year holds both extraordinary expectations and danger for Orange County public schools.

The recession has corroded public finances, guaranteeing another year in which more must be done with less.

The county will continue to grow, with about 25,000 more students enrolled in 1992 than this year, increasing the burden on a system already stretched, according to John Dean, Orange County superintendent of schools.

And expectations are rising after a year of solid achievement in local education. Students here scored well on one of the nation’s toughest exams, the advanced placement test, a key indicator of college success. Outpacing other counties, students posted the best scores in California and won praise from state Supt. of Public Instruction Bill Honig. Almost every school district showed impressive gains.

Orange County educators also won state teacher and superintendent of the year honors.

But with a $7-billion deficit threatening state finances, Orange County public schools once again stand to lose millions in funding. School districts, already stumbling from last fiscal year’s cuts, predict more of the same. Most school districts trimmed costs outside the classroom, such as janitorial services and reduced library hours.

This time cuts may go deeper.

“The state is talking desperate now,” said Supt. Rudy M. Castruita of Santa Ana Schools. “Gov. Wilson is already targeting health and welfare programs. We’re going to hold our breaths to see whether education will follow.”

Before school opened in September, Santa Ana laid off 30 certificated and classified employees.

State officials are already discussing a second year without cost-of-living increases for school districts. That means districts will have less to spend even if there is inflation. There is also a possibility that California will not provide additional money to districts experiencing enrollment increases.

“It’s a double whammy,” said Supt. James A. Fleming of the Capistrano Unified School District. “What we are facing is nothing short of disaster.”

During the fall, Capistrano grew from 28,500 students to 30,000. Officials say the growth will continue and the district is building four new schools within two years.

“If you’re growing by 500 students, it’s going to feel like a 2-ton truck hitting you,” Fleming said. “If you’re growing by 1,000 students, it’s going to feel like a 3-ton truck. No matter what happens, we’re going to get hit by a big truck.”

Dean warned that public schools must be prepared for a fight. Last June, 10,000 parents, teachers, and students filled Orange Coast College stadium to protest any education cuts.

In his regular budget update letter to staff employees, Castruita warned his staff that he plans for the worst by shaving up to $1.5 million from the district’s central office operations and freezing all hiring.

“What terrifies me is that last year we tried our best to stay out of the classrooms when it came to cutting back,” Castruita said. “We have to do it again. But there’s even less to work with. We have to do more with less again.”

Cuts have already left scars in Orange County schools, where nearly every district has had to scale back on supplies, personnel, and classroom materials during the 1991-92 school year. Across the county, music and art teachers were laid off and classroom size increased to save money. Nearly every district has a hiring freeze.

Some suffered more than others. Placentia Unified slashed $8 million from its budget and increased average classroom size by two students. The cuts partially dismantled a top-notch elementary music program and forced the district to leave 70 teaching positions unfilled.

Saddleback Valley Unified School District determined that students had to pay $150 each for their own school bus transportation.

School officials predict 1992 will be no different.

“We already made our major cuts last year. At that time we cut out what we thought we could live with,” said James O. Fleming of Placentia Unified. “It looks like we have to go beyond that for the next budget.”