The recently approved state budget provides money that will allow the Redwood City School District to restore six days that had been cut from its 2010-11 academic calendar, according to Superintendent Jan Christensen.
In June, the district and the union representing teachers agreed to reduce the calendar from 187 days to 181 this year and next year because of a lack of funding. Had the state not passed a new budget, which the governor signed into law last month, it would have meant five fewer instruction days for students and one fewer staff development day.
The influx of state funding not only ensures students in the Redwood City district a full schedule this school year, but also that at least three of next year’s canceled days will be reinstated, said Redwood City Teacher’s Association (RCTA) President William Crow. There are 18 schools in the district.
Crow said the school district initially wanted to make more extensive cuts, but the union balked. “The district is surrounded by wealthier districts, so the kids we teach are at a disadvantage—there’s less money,” Crow said. “Since they feed into the same high schools as the districts around us, we need all the instructional days we can get.”
In a letter posted on the district’s website, Christensen announced that 2010-11 would be a full school year, though she qualified the statement.
“I would be remiss if I did not explain that due to the volatility of the state budget crisis, it is possible that the Legislature and the Governor could revise the State budget and reduce funding before the end of the school year. In that case, the days could be removed again later in the year,” Christensen wrote in bold, underlined typeface.
