The Paso Robles school board voted to cut positions from its budget in its Tuesday meeting.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the district received a significant amount of grant funding that has now diminished. To reduce its budget deficit, the board began discussing job cuts in previous meetings. The number of jobs and type has changed since the February meeting based on public feedback that raised concerns over the lack of counselors for students.
Superintendent Jennifer Loftus gave a presentation in response to this feedback on Tuesday’s meeting, citing that while she agrees there is a need for therapeutic, long-term counseling, school counselors are meant to provide short-term academic counseling.
The board voted 4 – 1 on Tuesday’s meeting to cut several positions, including counselors, teacher positions, para-educators, and other across the district. Trustee Williams dissented, and trustees Kenney Enney and Laurene McCoy were absent. The cuts total to about $2.2 million in savings.
