Phillipsburg Education Association seeks more details on personnel cuts in district budget

PHILLIPSBURG | District union officials want more information about personnel cuts proposed in next year's tentative school budget.

Phillipsburg Education Association President Barbara English said she plans to meet with Superintendent Mark B. Miller this week to go over the cuts in greater detail.

"I think our non-tenured teaching staff is definitely concerned," English said. "I'm hoping that ... (cuts) won't happen to go to tenured teachers."

The tentative budget proposes personnel cuts of 25 certified staff members and 18 classroom aides to help close a $2.3 million shortfall.

Teachers represent the district's majority of certified staff, according to School Business Administrator William Bauer.

The district employs about 365 teachers and another 15 to 20 staff in central office or administrative positions, he said. The average salary, including health benefits, is about $75,000, Bauer said.

Last year's personnel reduction eliminated more than 60 employees, including some tenured teachers, according to English.

Bauer said specifics on the cuts are still being discussed. Much of the decision rides on the district's application for $6.1 million in Abbott supplemental funding. Officials expect word on the grant in June or July.

Abbott funding is named after a state Supreme Court ruling that mandates aid to lower-income school districts.

If Phillipsburg nets enough supplemental funding, certified staff and programs could be reinstated. The 18 classroom aide cuts, however, are required cost-saving measures under a county school directive, Bauer said. He said none of the 18 classroom aides who will be cut work in special education.

Warren County Superintendent Kevin Brennan said the idea behind the aide cuts is to make the most of existing spending under the New Jersey Administrative Code.

"Districts need to be utilizing aides where they can defend that they are being used for a purpose," Brennan said. "I think there was a desire statewide to spend more time looking at school budgets and consider the patterns of spending."

Miller said the cuts will reach across the district.

"It's a matter of where we can have the least impact on programs and kids," he said.

With faculty contracts set to expire at the end of June, English said the proposed cuts could effect ongoing negotiations.

"Will it affect (negotiations)? I think so," she said. "But I think both of us are open to suggestions and ideas."

A public hearing for the budget is set for March 30. Residents can vote on the budget April 21.

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