Cuts approved for Redwood City School District

Although the district is community-funded, primarily through local property taxes, “revenue is not increasing at a pace sufficient to offset growing costs” and without ongoing supplemental revenue, “budget reductions have become an annual necessity,” Baker said. 

Additionally, the district is only continuing to get smaller. By the 2033-34 school year, it is estimated there will be 1,000 fewer students in the district, Baker said. 

Restructuring of the district office and reduction of services as recommended will save the district an estimated $3.5 million. 

Currently, the district is operating with “systems and staffing levels designed for a larger organization,” Baker said. Positions inside the district office will be cut, including a reduction of 3.75 management full-time equivalents and 1 classified full-time equivalent. 

Previous proposals by Baker and staff included reducing district administrative support positions for Individualized Education Program meetings held at each school site. In the final approved plan, some administrative support will be maintained specifically for the kindergarten through fifth grade campuses after principals said they need the help since they don’t have on-site assistant principals, like the middle schools. 

Tina Mercer, principal of Roosevelt Elementary School, said having administrative substitutes for the IEP meetings will allow principals without assistant principals to spend more time in the classroom.

“For me personally, it’s probably going to save about 250 hours, give or take,” Mercer said. “That gives plenty of time to be in classrooms and to be working with students and teachers directly.” 

Mercer also thanked Baker for making the majority of cuts away from the classrooms. 

“The district is definitely shouldering the heaviest load,” Mercer said. 

Site-based cuts will happen though, including the reduction of 17 full-time equivalents through attrition, to “align staff with current and future enrollment levels,” Baker said. 

Teachers will not be let go, but classrooms will be closed and vacancies due to retirements or staff leaving the district will not be filled by hires. The district’s intention is to “minimize this disruption to current employees whenever possible.” 

Additional reductions will be made to budget for guest teachers, a position created during the COVID-19 pandemic to essentially create consistent substitute teachers. One site administrator position will also be reduced, which is currently vacant, Baker said. 

The on-site adjustments will save an estimated $2.9 million for the district. 

These changes were approved, and will be “essential to closing the district’s structural budget gap,” Baker said.