Santa Rosa City Schools become latest district to green light staff cuts

The district, like others in Sonoma County and around California, is struggling to balance budgets with big drops in state funding forecast.

photo credit: Santa Rosa City Schools
Santa Rosa City Schools Board of Trustees meeting on February 28th, 2024.

The outlook for public school budgets around Sonoma County is once again bleak.

Districts like Santa Rosa City Schools are turning to layoffs to balance the books.

State budget projections started off the year in bad shape, and they’re only predicted to get worse - especially for schools.

Some say belt-tightening will need to mirror Great Recession levels to stave off big cuts to staff and programs.

Santa Rosa City Schools, the city’s largest district, is already dealing with what's called a qualified budget, said Sarah Lampenfeld.

"When you're positive, that means you will be able to meet your current and two subsequent years expenditures when you're qualified. That's indicating that you may not be able to meet those expenditures in the current or two subsequent years.

Lampenfeld is External Fiscal Services Director with the Sonoma County Office of Education.

Santa Rosa City Schools' Board of Trustees now plans to eliminate dozens of positions.

Santa Rosa Teachers Association President Kathryn Howell warned of the impact layoffs and cuts to classroom staff will have on students.

"These are choices that will have everlasting un-returnable repercussions," Howell said. "These kinds of cuts happen and they don't get restored."

As board trustee Ed Sheffield noted, districts up and down the state are facing drops in state funds and one-time dollars; and Santa Rosa City Schools, among many other districts, is facing declining enrollment. Essentially getting squeezed on both sides.

"This is how the pendulum swings," Sheffield said. "We have a messed up system around public education."

The 57 positions set for elimination is down from the district’s last minute revision of 66 full time equivalent positions, and down even further from the original projection of 85 positions slated for cuts.

The school board opted to spare a number of English Language specialist positions from the proposed cuts.

The total number of educators laid off will be finalized after other rounds of budget forecasting and personnel choices like retirements and non-renewal of contracts.