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# No end in sight for public school woes
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/no-end-in-sight-for-public-school-woes/
- Published: 2003-04-07T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T02:02:34.000Z
- Author: John Wood
- Tags: Education, Malibu, #archive-import

*Along with teachers, so go district programs*

State education cuts are so severe that many educational programs have been tabled indefinitely, said Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District officials.

And, furthermore, teachers and staff will be brought back before the abandoned programs, they said.

“I think it has to be personnel first,” said Superintendent John Deasy. “We already have some programs in place now and we don’t even have the personnel to maintain those.

The district’s new “remarkable” middle school math plan, which was presented to the board on Thursday, will almost certainly be put off, Deasy said. Additionally, one program that would have aligned local teachers with California standards and another that provided funding for on-going teacher education have been scrapped, along with several smaller programs.

More than 500 teachers, parents, students and community members marched in downtown Santa Monica on Saturday, protesting the effect that a $35 billion state deficit has had on local schools. Twenty percent of the district’s workforce, including 97 classroom teachers, and 207 pink slips — or termination notices — have been issued.

Many marchers wore colored shirts with “Teacher,” “Custodian” and other threatened positions written across the chest.

The event was designed to show the community’s commitment to education and build awareness for Proposition S, the parcel tax initiative, which goes before voters June 3\. The initiative asks voters to levy a flat $225 tax on each of the 32,413 parcels of land in Santa Monica and Malibu. It is estimated to raise $6.5 million annually for the cash-strapped district.

“We are facing a wrenching challenge,” said Sherry Orgel, president of the SMMUSD PTA. “Will this community forsake its future?”

Many city officials and community activists, including Mayor Richard Bloom and Councilman Kevin McKeown, attended the event.

“Has the state of California forgotten that it does take a village to raise a child?” Deasy asked. “It takes teachers and staff to inspire the minds of the future.”

Independent of the layoffs, the budget has prompted a handful of program cuts that many say compromise the quality of education in Santa Monica’s public schools, including music classes.

> “I’m not holding out a lot of hope.”

Deasy said the Middle School Algebra Plan is among three key programs he had hoped to see in place next year. The three-year math plan was estimated to cost $1.2 million.

The plan was designed to give all students, regardless of skill level, the chance to start Geometry in the ninth grade. A cadre of teachers, parents and administrators presented the specifics to the school board Thursday night.

Under the plan, individual paths of study would be offered to students based on their level of aptitude. Struggling students would be offered tutoring and summer sessions.

Board members who discussed the plan said they were excited by the group’s presentation. Maria Leon-Vazquez called the work done by the group a “high point” during a time burdened with bad news.

Deasy agreed. “I’m just really proud of the work of the committee,” he said. “In the end there is a plan in front of us that I think is pretty remarkable.”

But ultimately, Deasy said it would be “unprofessional” to say the plan would be funded by next year.

Also pulled because of the budget cuts was the K-12 Curriculum Alignment program, which would have facilitated a series of meetings between teachers. The meetings were designed with the ultimate goal that every teacher meet or exceed California’s standards. The plan cost the district $25,000 annually.

Professional development programs for teachers have also been abandoned by the cash-strapped district. The programs, which cost roughly $100,000 a year, provided further professional training for district educators.

While many consider SMMUSD to be located in an affluent community, the reality is far different. Four of the school district’s 15 schools are “Title One,” meaning that the majority of their students come from low-income families.

Community members are being asked to urge both the Santa Monica and Malibu city councils to double their current contributions to the schools, which would replace an additional 25 percent of lost state funds.

The school district has determined “bundles” of positions that would be reinstated if any of the funding comes through. Any possible reinstatements are strictly focused on personnel and not on programs, Deasy said.

SMMUSD faces at least $13 million in budget cuts for next year. The cuts include: ■ 66 full-time classroom teachers and 25 teachers in specialized programs. ■ All elementary music teachers. ■ Elementary school library coordinators. ■ Many school nurses. ■ 56 staff, including computer technicians, a textbook coordinator and custodians. ■ All physical education aides and specialists. ■ Middle and high school athletic support staff positions. ■ Pre-school programs for low and moderate income children. ■ 12 administrators, including one principal.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/040703-03_01-7.jpg)

(Photo: John Wood/Daily Press)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 7, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/040703.pdf?ref=smdp.com)