Sac City Unified Budget Cuts Affecting Preschoolers, Special-Needs Programs

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Parents in the Sacramento City Unified School District are frustrated and looking for solutions after learning some of the district's preschoolers could lose their program.

Programs like Early Head Start, preschool, and some special needs programs are at risk as the district makes cuts to its budget while they try to avert a state takeover. Right now, the district is dealing with a $35 million gap.

Alex Barrios, public information officer for the district, said the district's core focus is on the Kindergarten through 12th-grade programs as they comb through the budget.

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So far, layoffs have been made to reduce staff and meet the proper student to teacher ratio. Barrios said there have been multiple rounds of layoffs. The early childhood programs were done in the first round of layoffs in late February.

According to Barrios, the district is transitioning a new provider, the Sacramento Employment Training Agency (SETA), because they are better funded.

Despite the transition, Barrios said no children will lose their preschool in the process. The layoffs are only affecting faculty. Some children will be able to stay at their same preschool under the new provider while others will have to change schools.

Barrios emphasized that the district is confident that no children will lose their slots to go to preschool due to the layoffs and budget cuts.

Community members gathered at the district's board meeting Thursday, concerned about the future of the preschools.