San Diego school district officials say principals may have to scale back on teachers and programs that serve students who are learning English as a second language. KPBS reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.
San Diego school principals are caught in a perfect budget storm.
First, the district itself may lose up to $70 million in education funding due to the state's budget crisis. Also, federal and state funding that goes toward helping non-native English speakers may soon be spread more generally to help low-income kids and other struggling students.
Some English learner resources teachers and assistants are afraid they'll be cut or relocated from their schools.
But the district's Debbie Beldock says not to worry just yet.
Beldock : The honest answer would be, let's wait. Let's hear about the priorities of the district. Let's hear more about the state response to the budget before we panic about what might or might not be.
Close to 30 percent of San Diego school kids speak English as second language.
Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.
