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El Segundo school board tables plan to cut TLC lead teachers' hours after staff and community objections
Summary
After extended public comment from students and TLC staff about lost prep time and potential pay cuts, the El Segundo Unified board tabled a resolution to reduce 14 TLC lead-teacher shifts from eight to 6.5 hours and asked for a financial break-even analysis before taking action.
El Segundo Unified School District trustees voted Wednesday to table a resolution that would reduce daily hours for 14 Learning Connection (TLC) lead-teacher positions from eight to 6.5, after teachers, students and parents urged the board to reconsider and provide additional financial information.
Teachers and program users described the TLC program as an essential extended‑day enrichment service funded primarily by parent tuition. Emily Manning Barton, a TLC lead teacher, told the board that "by reducing our hours by an hour and a half each day, we are losing approximately 30 hours per month of prep time," and that those hours are used for lesson planning, projects and family communication. Suzanne Lipscomb, a 12‑year TLC lead, warned the change could mean an "approximately $8,000 annual loss in income" for many leads and risk losing experienced staff.
The proposal, introduced by human-resources staff, characterizes the eight-hour schedule as a temporary COVID-era increase supported by one‑time funds; the administration recommended returning positions to the pre-COVID schedule and said student supervision would not be reduced. Superintendent John Johnson (speaking as part of the administration presentation) said the 1.5‑hour window being removed "is time when students are not present" and that TLC teachers would continue to have about 1.5 hours per day for planning.
Board members asked detailed questions about program finances, contract language, alternative assignments and the operational impact on minimum days. Several commenters suggested the district had not clearly communicated the temporary nature of the eight‑hour schedule to employees, and staff urged the board to provide a transparent timeline and financial breakdown. Board member questions prompted a commitment from finance staff to provide a program cost analysis by Friday.
After discussion, a board member moved to table the action to the next meeting so trustees could review the requested financial analysis and other operational details; the motion to table passed 4–0. The formal motion to table, not to adopt the reduction, leaves the proposed change unresolved pending that follow‑up.
What’s next: The board directed staff to prepare a detailed TLC program cost analysis, including whether the program breaks even on tuition and restricted funds and information on attrition. Trustees said that information will be considered at the next regularly scheduled meeting before the board takes final action.
