LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Layoff notices went out last week to teachers around the county, and while the numbers are not as large as in past years, educators remain concerned about the ultimate impact of deeper cuts in classrooms on students.

The preliminary pink slip notices, required to be made by March 15, went out to 19 teachers countywide, according to a survey conducted by the Lake County Office of Education.

The survey found that four districts sent out the notices – Konocti, 15; Middletown, 2; Lakeport, 1; and Upper Lake Elementary, 1.

Statewide, more than 19,100 layoff notices went out to teachers, according to an estimate provided by Middletown Unified teacher Larry Allen, who is a California Teachers Association Board member.

He said that number is slightly under the number of notices sent in 2010. “Last year we had about 24,000 pink slips at this time.”

A deadline for classified employees arrives later in April, according to the Lake County Office of Education.

Classified employees also are expected to be hit hard statewide and locally.

Carolyn Constantino, a spokesperson for the California School Employees Association – which represents 70 percent of the state's classified employees – said so far this school year more than 3,000 classified employees statewide who are in the group's membership have been notified of layoffs based on district budget projections, and another 3,000 are expected to be laid off at the end of the school year.

There could be more layoffs outside of the group's membership, she added.

Allen – who represents teachers from the Oregon Boarder down the coast to San Francisco, along with Lake, Napa and Solano counties – said more than 3,000 pink slips were issued just in that region alone.

Last year, the California Teachers Association lost 16,000 members, and lost another 16,000 members the year before that, Allen said.

“It's devastating to everybody,” he said.

Kelseyville Unified was one of the districts able to avoid layoff notices.

“We had two retirements so that helped us for this year,” said district Superintendent Dave McQueen.

Those two elementary teaching jobs were slated to be cut as part of Kelseyville Unified's financial recovery plan, which the board of trustees approved last week, he said.

Konocti Unified Superintendent Bill MacDougall did not return calls seeking comment about his district's layoff notices.

The notices to teachers went out at about the same time California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson warned districts to plan for the worst in case temporary taxes aren't approved by voters and expire July 1.

Torlakson had declared a financial state of emergency in California's schools in January.

State education officials reported that California's schools have been hit by $18 billion in cuts over the last three years, which they said is roughly equivalent to one-third of the state's annual spending on K-12 schools each year.

“Californians cherish their schools,” Torlakson said in a statement. “Before we miss the chance to help our state's 6.2 million schoolchildren weather this financial emergency, people have a right to know the consequences.”

In a letter to county school superintendents sent earlier this month, Torlakson said time is running dangerously short to place a tax extension before voters.

Torlakson's office estimated that without the tax extensions the state may cut school spending by as much as $4.5 billion or 10 percent of the K-12 annual budget.

The California Teachers Association has joined with Torlakson in urging passage of the taxes in a special vote this summer.

“The first stop gap is if the governor can get his proposed tax extensions on the ballot and passed,” said Allen, noting that will help schools to begin to plug the budget hole.

“If that doesn't happen it's going to be even worse,” he said. “I can't imagine how we're going to function with up to 50 kids in a classroom.”

Allen said there also are efforts under way to change the way schools are funded in order to make education funding more stable.

If that doesn't happen, he said the impact on schools and all of their associated programs – such as sports and after school programs – will be significant.

“It's going to look third world,” Allen said.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.