by David Safier
According to this morning's Star, TUSD is going to "cut away nearly $6 million in central office, district administration and department staffs."
If you're going to make cuts, upper level administration is the first place to go. For years, people have been saying TUSD is top-heavy. If that's true, these cuts shouldn't have a devastating effect on that educational spot where the rubber meets the road: the classroom. They may actually mean a little less paperwork for teachers who don't have to serve as many masters — or a little more work if they have to take up some of the recordkeeping slack. The cuts might mean less and slower service for teachers and schools, though a leaner administration might actually function more efficiently — and to be honest, teachers don't spend a whole lot of time looking to central office administration for help.
It'll take a few years to see how wisely the District makes the cuts and reallocates the administrative duties. But this is a sign the Board, which approved the cuts unanimously, is looking for the least painful ways to cut $14 million from the budget. Let's hope it's one of a series of positive, student-centric decisions from the new Governing Board.