WESTSIDE ALSO FACING BUDGET WOES.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Westside Union School District would eliminate 50 teaching positions if it decides to increase class sizes in the lower grades and move sixth-graders back to elementary schools to save money.

Enlarging classes in kindergarten through third grade to 30 pupils - up from the present maximum of 20 - for next school year and the year after that would save more than $705,000, administrators say.

``Anybody who gets laid off is a damage to teachers,'' said Bryan Page, vice president of the Westside Union Teachers Association.

The district, which is currently at impasse with the teachers union in contract talks, employs about 380 teachers.

Trustee Gwen Farrell said about 39 of the teachers who would be affected are temporary teachers whose contracts would not be renewed. The remaining teaching posts would be vacated by teachers retiring or quitting.

About 20 to 25 parents attended the Westside board meeting on Tuesday to oppose bigger class sizes in the lower grades.

``About six got up and spoke. They didn't want class-size reduction to go away,'' Farrell said. ``They like the smaller class sizes for their little ones. That's understandable.''

Farrell said most parents commented that they understood the budget problems and couldn't think of other ways to cut the budget.

Page said teachers are also against bigger class sizes in grades one through three.

``It's best for kids. They learn better and having smaller classes is more effective for teaching. It allows for us to have more one-on-one and individualized learning,'' Page said.

Page said there are both pros and cons to moving sixth-graders back to elementary school.

Page said when students start sixth grade in middle school, they seem to be better prepared for seventh and eighth grades. But some students do better in an elementary school sixth grade.

The board is expected to make a decision on cuts at a special meeting Tuesday.

Sending sixth-graders from middle schools back to elementary schools also would save the district from having to build new schools for at least another two years.

For a second year in a row, Westside this year said it might not be able to meet its financial obligations over the next several years, opening the possibility of Los Angeles County appointing a monitor to watch the district's spending.

The state this year allowed Westside to maintain a budget reserve lower than the mandated 3 percent of spending as long as it restores the full 3 percent by July 1. The reserve now stands at 2.45 percent.

District officials are projecting they will be able to meet the 3 percent reserve requirement in 2005-06 but fall short in 2006-07 by more than $650,000.

Westside officials are also looking at increasing class sizes in grades four through eight from the current district-wide average of 26.5 students to up to 29.9 students.

That would save the cost of two teachers at $55,000 each.

Under state law, school districts must notify teachers and other certificated employees by March 15 that their job might be considered for elimination.

Karen Maeshiro, [phone]

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com