Manhattan Beach Unified layoffs the predictable consequence of poor decision-making
Manhattan Beach Unified is projecting a $13 million deficit. Like many districts in the same position they cite anticipated cuts in state funding as a key reason behind their budget shortfall. In the last month at least 25 districts have made the news announcing layoffs to address financial difficulties. MBUSD has done the same, announcing staff layoffs, planning to cut 50 positions to save $4.2 million. Adding to this are potential cuts in “optional” programs like Chinese instruction, elimination of $600,000 in deferred maintenance and a $240,000 reduction in supplies and services. Just these items add up to over $5 million in targeted cuts. Certainly a declines in growth of state funding is significant, but there are two sides to financial problems. Revenue is one, spending is the other. Weakening tax revenue has been anticipated for almost a year now. A prudent school district might react by avoiding large new expenses, particularly those that increase ongoing costs.Not MBUSD. Last July the school board approved a bonus raise (added on top of normal salary schedule increases) for the certificated group. Their AB1200 disclosure shows total cost of that to be $4.6 million per year. A number amazingly coincidental with the $5 million in reductions needed now.The Board knew approving that raise would result in a need for layoffs and other cuts. The disclosure asks for the “specific impacts” of this raise, the response was, “In order to accommodate these increased costs, the District anticipated a need for significant reductions in expenditures in future years, including a reduction by the equivalent of 31 certificated positions that was incorporated into the District’s multi-year projection for 2024-25.”
In 2022 the median pay of an MBUSD certificated employee was $105,385, according to the districts’ own payroll data as provided to Transparent California. Meanwhile the US Census Bureau shows comparably educated Los Angeles County residents made $97,555, factoring in additional training teachers need for certification. Certificated employees made about $8,000 more than they would make pursuing a different career with the same degree.
And this doesn’t include compensation toward retirement. MBUSD teachers receive about $19,000/year more in contributions to their retirement than private workers, increasing their compensation advantage to $27,000/year. A private employee would need to make almost $125,000/year to fund their retirement equally and match the same take-home pay. After bonus raises more like $137,000/year.
Certainly the need make cuts is increased by the revenue decrease, but the layoffs and program eliminations we see now, which will mostly affect lower-paid employees and programs for kids – are not a result of unforeseen financial headwinds. They are a result of active choices made by a board who knew the potential consequences ahead.
Board member Wysh Weinstein says “This is real, this is hard.” Board member Jen Fenton laments “Each of these cuts are going to impact our kids and that’s hard,” and “There’s going to be concern with meeting students’ needs.” We heard nothing about these concerns – or how hard it would be – when approving increases in pay, did we? Perhaps we should ask MBUSD’s board members why they said nothing then? Seems like a legitimate question during an election year.
Now we see the start of another round of negotiations. Will the district, board, and labor groups involved be up front about who or what programs they’re going to cut to fund future bonus raises? Or will we once again only hear about how hard it is later when the consequences of that choice happens? Again.The kids of Manhattan Beach Unified deserve better. Fortunately we have an election ahead so parents can make the right decision for their kids.
Todd Maddison is the Director of Research for Transparent California, a founding member of the Parent Association advocacy group, and a longtime activist in improving K-12 education.