The system, which is in tough contract talks with the teachers' union, may be forced to lay off more than 400 employees By Alicia Di Rado of the Oregonian staff More than 400 employees in the Portland Public Schools would be laid off and thousands of dollars would be cut from special programs under cost-saving plans issued Thursday night at a school board meeting. The cuts come as the district is mired in difficult contract negotiations with its teachers' union. Despite the cuts, Bierwirth said he will continue his drive toward raising academic standards for Portland's students. But disappointing budget figures mean that goal may be a difficult one. Many board members Thursday decried the way schools have been supported after the adoption of Measure 5, which set limits on money that school districts may receive from local property taxes.
Districts now rely more heavily on money provided by the state.
We need help. Bierwirth's recommendations will go to a local school councils and a citizens review board, as well as to parents and others who will comment on the suggestions before the school board adopts a budget in mid-March. The proposed reductions are for the fiscal year starting July 1, 1996. But within the last two weeks, schools and departments within the district have trimmed their spending by thousands of dollars to accommodate last-minute shortfalls in this year's budget. That scrimping pales when compared with Bierwirth's new proposals.