In its bid to cut $20 million from next year’s budget, Jeffco Public Schools is looking to eliminate two programs that have posted promising results so far.
One is a three-year-old program to help struggling readers at 20 schools that have large numbers of students who need help. The other, modeled on work gaining momentum nationwide, is a new program focused on helping students develop social and emotional skills.
The proposal to cut 20 literacy interventionists and 31 social and emotional learning specialists would save $4.21 million. At what is expected to be an emotional and contentious meeting Thursday, the board could vote to approve the reductions as part of its overall package of cuts or it could decide to pull these items out and continue funding them.
District officials say both programs have made an impact but are among a raft of cuts necessary for the school board to make good on its promise to increase teacher pay after voters rejected two tax measures in November.
“It isn’t fun, but hopefully we can make some hard choices so we don’t have to do this in the future,” said district spokeswoman Diana Wilson.For more on this story, go to .
Chalkbeat Colorado is a nonprofit news organization covering education issues. For more, visit .
