Los Angeles Unified suspends key arts program
A spending freeze prompted by budget woes causes the school district to abruptly halt the Arts Community Partnership Network.
The Los Angeles school district has suspended a key arts program because of a spending freeze, a sign of what may be ahead for the state's largest district, which is facing a serious budget shortfall.
When the school board was forced to slash almost $400 million from this year's budget because the district received less than expected in state funds, it kept most of the cuts away from classrooms. But now the district may have to cut another $400 million, which could mean increasing class sizes, laying off teachers or providing fewer meals at schools.
Los Angeles Unified School District officials have even offered a $300 bonus to employees who take a survey to gauge interest in an early retirement program, which could save the district money in future years by reducing payroll and spreading out retirement payments.
Arts in schools: An article in Monday's California section about a freeze in arts funding in the Los Angeles Unified School District described Arts for L.A. as an organization that oversees the Arts Community Partnership Network. Arts for L.A. is a nonprofit advocacy organization that closely monitors arts programs throughout Los Angeles; it has no direct affiliation with the Arts Community Partnership Network, which is a professional arts organization that serves L.A. Unified schools as an arts education provider.
L.A. Unified retirements: An article in Monday's California section about a freeze in arts funding in the Los Angeles Unified School District said it was offering a $300 bonus to employees who filled out a survey gauging interest in an early retirement program. In fact, the district is offering $300 to eligible employees who fill out early retirement papers by Feb. 13, 2009.
L.A. Unified officials also instituted a spending freeze, which resulted in the abrupt postponement of the arts program. In a Dec. 12 e-mail, district administrators told arts instructors with the Arts Community Partnership Network to cancel all work immediately and that payments might be delayed, although work could begin again next month if the state resolves its budget crisis.
"We are all waiting for the state budget in January . . . and hoping for the best," said Richard Burrows, L.A. Unified's director of arts education.
Districts throughout the state are also making drastic cuts, said state Supt. of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell, who warned that eliminating arts and after-school-program funding could have dire consequences.
"We have to keep these students involved and engaged," he said. "Schools need to be more of the hub of the community, not less."
The Los Angeles arts partnership has been in place for six years and had a budget of about $8 million this year. The 80 participating groups include the Music Center and the Center Theatre Group.
None of the district's music teachers will be fired because of the freeze, but some of their programs might be affected, district officials said. The arts partnership spends $2.2 million on an instrument repair shop that services about 35,000 instruments a year.
"This doesn't just affect arts education, it affects the entire district," said Danielle Brazell, executive director of Arts for L.A., an arts education organization that oversees the arts network.
