OKC school officials to consider proposal to cut more than 400 teachers

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ An impending revenue shortfall for next fiscal year could force the Oklahoma City School District to cut more than 400 teachers. <br><br>The school board will consider the massive

Saturday, March 30th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ An impending revenue shortfall for next fiscal year could force the Oklahoma City School District to cut more than 400 teachers.

The school board will consider the massive reduction in force program Monday night at its regularly scheduled meeting.

Many of the teachers that would be let go eventually could be offered their jobs back, but the school district's attorney said rehirings will depend on many things, including the final amount of state funding and any new mandates from lawmakers.

The state is facing a $350 million revenue shortfall for next fiscal year.

Education advocates fear school districts could face up to a 10 percent cut in state funding, although some legislators want to minimize or spare schools from the cuts.

Oklahoma City school officials are predicting as much as a $20 million shortfall and already have proposed closing five schools this fall.

The board also will be asked Monday to approve the closures in an effort to save as much as $5 million.

School board Chairman Cliff Hudson said the district has little choice but to prepare for large cuts since state funding is unclear.

The district also must notify teachers by April 10 whether they will be employed for next school year.

If school board members approve the plan, teachers hired before Oct. 10 would be entitled to a hearing within 60 days, school district attorney Bill Bleakley said.

Those targeted for layoffs are all teachers hired since July 1. The total amounts to more than 10 percent of the district's about 3,500 teachers, school officials said.

Under the district's collective bargaining agreement, teachers would be rehired based on their original hire dates and certification area.

The district must first rehire from those who have been laid off, attorneys said.

Ted Metscher, president of the Oklahoma City American Federation of Teachers, fears many of the teachers let go could leave for good for higher-paying jobs elsewhere.

``They dedicated a year of their career, and now they've been told to go home. They're not going to have a real good feeling about the district,'' Metscher said.

District officials have pledged to keep class sizes below the state law limits, even though the district could avoid penalties for larger class sizes because of bond indebtedness exemptions.

Superintendent Bill Weitzel also has said he expects to cut at least three or four of the district's 10 area administrator positions to save money.