OC Register: "What budget cuts are your schools making?"

By FERMIN LEAL and SCOTT MARTINDALE

Orange County's school districts plan to slash at least $129 million in spending and 1,429 jobs next year if the state can't avoid $2.3 billion in new cuts.

Many districts will again implement furlough days, fewer instruction days and salary freezes started in 2009-10, as well as increase class sizes and slash programs.

But the 2011-12 cuts would have been significantly worse if not for $96 million local districts received under a federal education jobs bill passed in August. The stimulus funds may have saved, at least for one year, more than 1,000 school jobs in Orange County, officials estimate.

>>FULL STORY<<