The Davis Board of Education and Superintendent Winfred Roberson embarked on the second round of discussions Thursday evening on the cutbacks that might have to be swiftly implemented if voters turn down both Proposition 30 and Measure E on Election Day.

The failure of those two school tax measures would mean a $6.9 million loss in state and local funding for the Davis schools, including an immediate $3.7 million cut from the state. Loss of the $3.2 million that would be provided by Measure E would be felt in 2013-14.

Two weeks ago, Roberson outlined possibilities that included a shorter school year (i.e., furlough days), school closures and other drastic cuts if the worst-case budget scenario comes to pass. On Thursday, he continued that discussion with a review of the school district’s current classroom program, high school graduation requirements and intervention programs for struggling students.

This presentation was a prequel for a Nov. 1 meeting, when the board is expected to discuss potential options like school closure and grade configuration in greater detail.

Trustee Gina Daleiden indicated that on Nov. 1, she wants to see a list of possibilities that would include a transition from the district’s current configuration to an alternative that would have ninth- through 12th-graders at Davis High School, two junior high schools serving seventh- and eighth-graders and seven elementary schools, rather than eight.

Daleiden also wants to explore moving ninth-graders to the high school and sixth-graders into junior high — either in self-contained classrooms or rotating through classes like traditional junior high students do — as well as retaining the district’s current grade configuration, but doing so with fewer campuses.

“I don’t want to see just one option,” Daleiden said.

Added Trustee Tim Taylor, “My bias is toward program preservation at the expense of facilities,” a sentiment echoed by trustee Richard Harris.

Roberson expressed the hope that the school board’s contingency planning for a scenario in which Prop. 30 and Measure E both fail will prove unnecessary. “We hope they’ll both be approved on Nov. 6,” the superintendent said.

But the school district needs to prepare for the various potential outcomes on Election Day. Among the variables is an agreement with the Davis Teachers Association, which doesn’t appear to be materializing anytime soon.

The district and the DTA have been in negotiations on contingency language covering budget cuts if the tax measures fail. The district has asked teachers to consider 10 furlough days if Prop. 30 fails; the DTA countered with an offer of five days. The district has been seeking to have a mediator join the negotiations.

DTA president Frank Thomsen reminded the board Thursday that Davis’ high ranking in the 2012 Academic Performance Index reflects the work of teachers.

“You cannot look at our recent API scores and not credit the teachers and professionals who made it happen,” he said, adding that “children do not just learn by themselves. Neither, while taking away nothing from their importance, is the school board nor the district office directly involved with the students. It is not bragging to say that the primary actors in this are the teachers, to whom we entrust our children for their education.”

He continued, “A few years ago, when we took furlough days and there were cuts to many parts of the budget, DTA members were told they had to do more with less. Well, we did. And we continue to. But no one can continue to do more with less indefinitely, especially if that ‘less’ becomes insufficient to meet our obligations.

“All we ask now is that you let us do more not with less, but with no less, while making it a priority to find ways that we can do more with more,” Thomsen said. “Show us the value our efforts have earned.”

— Reach Jeff Hudson at [email protected] or 530-747-8055.

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