Harford schools staff cuts in offing

Superintendent proposes cutting 179 positions to close $35 million budget gap

To close a $35 million gap in the Harford County Public Schools budget for the next fiscal year, Superintendent Sean Bulson has proposed cutting 179 positions.

Bulson, however, told the Board of Education on Monday night that he hoped no one would lose a job. He said he would like to see people in those positions reassigned.

“Weemploy more people than the revenue we receive makes possible,” Bulson said. “We are not able to pay our bills with the number of people we employ.”

He is preparing his first budget as superintendent of the 38,000-student system. His request must be submitted to Harford County Executive Barry Glassman by March 1.

The school system’s operating budget this year is about $461million, with expenses next year projected to be $485.3 million, a difference of $24 million, plus the $11 million from the fund balance used to balance this year’s budget.

Bulson’s proposal would eliminate 153 instructional and 26 administrative positions at elementary and secondary levels.

At the same time, Bulson, who was hired in June, wants to maintain the negotiated step and cost-of-living adjustment increases for remaining staff members.

“Wehavefocused on ensuring our employees take-home pay isn’t harmed,” Bulson said, adding the cuts are deeper to the school system so they can maintain the health benefits, COLAs and steps. “We want to take care of the people we have left. They’ve got enough bad news as it is, we don’t need to add more.”

Glassman, who took similar steps to reduce the workforce when he became county executive, said he sympathizes with Bulson.

“I’ve been through this and I know it’s painful,” Glassman said. “But Dr. Bulson’s plan is to address some of these systemic problems and get the budget where it’s sustainable, and come to me in the spring with a request I can fund.”

He and Bulson have been meeting regularly to discuss the budget. He said he would look for extra revenue within the county budget “to do our share.”

Harford County Board of Education President Joe Voskuhl said the superintendent doesn’t have much choice.

He reiterated what Bulson has pointed out, that the school system’s percentage of the county budget has decreased over the years.

“Realistically, the county needs to fund education as it should be funded,” Voskuhl said. “In my opinion, the county does not contribute enough to education.”

Baltimore Sun Media wasunable to reach a representative of the teachers’ union Tuesday.

At the elementary level, the cuts mean increases in class sizes. In kindergarten, first and second grades, class size will be capped at 25 students; the cap for third, fourth and fifth grades will be 30. Based on projected enrollment, teacher assignments will be adjusted based on where the need is, Bulson said.

In the secondary grades, 44 positions will be cut at the middle school level and 59 at the high school level, according to Bulson.

Those were determined by a student-tostaff ratio, he said, not on class size. Schools with more students who receive free and reduced-price meals will see fewer cuts.