School pink slips hit 46

The Philadelphia School District's budget crisis has claimed 46 central administration employees who were laid off yesterday as part of nearly $100 million in spending cuts designed to help balance the 2007-08 budget.

The School Reform Commission actually ordered the elimination of 170 administration positions. In addition to the 46 people who got pink slips, 73 positions were left vacant and 51 people will be transferred to work in schools or in other administration jobs.

"Of course, it's never easy to let people go, but . . . we need to make sure we have the right staffing levels to support the programs that are making the biggest difference in the classrooms," said Amy Guerin, a district spokeswoman.

The layoffs will result in $13.3 million in savings this year, Guerin said, which is less then the $14.1 million school officials had hoped to realize.

"The process of evaluating programs is ongoing," she said. "We're going to keep on evaluating programs and aligning staff as appropriate."

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers denounced the layoffs and other budget cuts, contending that students would be hurt - despite assurances to the contrary from the School Reform Commission.

"It's a disgrace, an absolute disgrace," said PFT President Ted Kirsch. "We keep cutting when we should be adding. They say, 'We don't cut the schools.' But they are cutting the schools. When you cut services to kids, it has a direct impact."

The district's budget woes began last fall when officials announced a deficit of $73 million. They also said the deficit would grow to $192 million by the end of the upcoming fiscal year without cuts and new funding from the city - which has been provided - and from the state.

Guerin said the salary range of the eliminated positions varied: 20 had salaries of $100,000 or more; 32 had salaries of between $100,000 and $80,000; and 118 had salaries of less than $80,000.

The highest-paid person to be laid off earned $141,000, she said.

Although two of those who actually lost their jobs were considered to have been in senior management, she said, 21 were mid-career-level managers, directors or supervisors and 23 were in support positions, such as secretaries and data-entry and clerical workers. *