Folsom Cordova Unified School District officials continue claiming “transparency” about the budget yet there are multiple items that will negatively impact your child’s education.

The district has approved a budget that raises the class size in first and second grade to 24 students in order to layoff more teachers. This is despite studies that show smaller class sizes of 20 or less in the early grades positively impact student achievement in reading and math.

More than 56 full time employees have already been laid off and now notices have been sent out to another 74.83 more certificated personnel (for a total of 131.63).

Highly paid senior staff members are not slated for layoffs or salary reductions. In the 2008-2009 approved budgets, administrative personnel were granted on average a 4 percent salary increase, including the superintendent and his subordinates. The district has increased administrative salaries a total of $934,527while reducing teachers’ compensation a total of $1,259,942.

The district claims that enrollment will be down 2 percent and have based the calculations on this assumption. Their own historical statistic clearly show enrollment is up by 2 percent.

The newly approved 2009-2010 budgets have high school seniors leaving school after only four-periods of instruction.

Let the district know that you won’t stand for this gross mismanagement of funds and our children’s futures.

Bill Miklos, Folsom