By Trina A. San Agustin
Variety News Staff

THE Guam Education Policy Board was expected to pass a resolution last night that would halt hiring for non-teaching positions, according to board chairman Peter Alexcis Ada.
On Tuesday evening, the board, along with the Guam Public School System, sat in a work session to discuss the possible 1.89 percent budget cut for fiscal year 2007 as a result of the Legislature’s passage of Bill 74, the governor’s proposed FY 2007 budget.
“The reduction that the legislature made went from $172,957,804 for our operations budget from the general fund to $172,053,445. That is a difference of $904,359,” Ada told Variety.
Ada said during Tuesday night’s work session, they established a breakdown of the non-teaching vacancies within the school system.
“We stress that this (freeze hiring) does not affect teaching positions…There are 260 non-teaching vacancies and if all goes well, we will have a savings of $6,270,148 in salaries,” Ada said.
The resolution that was to be passed last night was also expected to include a hiring freeze on 95 vacant, non-teaching potions in the central office. Ada said this would save them an additional $2,137,212.
“We are going to put a hiring freeze between now and July 9. These positions are in the staffing pattern, but because they are not filled today, we not going to fill them between now and July 9, 2007 only because we need to be prepared for the opening of the 2007/2008 school year which begins on Aug. 21,” said Ada.
Ada said there are other ways the school system can save money, including a freeze hiring on non-teaching positions. This, he said, could also prevent any furloughs within the department. The board, meanwhile, is trying to find out if it can avoid a 32-hour work week.
The board also wants the administration to make good on its promise to the education board and GPSS that they will get the operations portion of the existing budget totaling $172 million.
“The administration said they stand committed to provide $172 million. We are requesting to have an audience with the governor or the lt. governor. The board wants to make sure that our feelings are heard by the front office (the administration) before any final decisions are made,” he said.
Ada also wants to know whether senators could do anything to assist GPSS financially so that it would be able to meet the Oct. 1, 2007 implementation of the Every Child is Entitled to an Adequate Education Act.
“We want to meet the time table for the Act and we are going to be looking to the Legislature to help us,” Ada said.