Clayton educators respond to proposed school cuts ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - Clayton's new superintendent has proposed more than 85 million dollars in cuts over the next two years.

If approved, school would be shortened by a week and 200 jobs would be cut.

Jonathan Shapiro reports.

Superintendent Edward Heatley has also proposed cutting benefits to cafeteria workers and bus drivers.

The budget crunch was caused by state cuts and declining property tax revenues.

The board is now considering the 2 year plan and will decide in the coming months.

In the meantime, the Clayton County Education Association which represents nearly 3,000 teachers, bus drivers, and administrators, is negotiating against many of the recommendations.

Sid Chapman, the union president, is calling for the superintendent to scale back his plan and only look ahead to next year.

CHAPMAN: "We would hope that maybe to lighten the blow not to do quite as much this year and wait and see how next year goes because there will be changes in the state to the governor, the legislature, what have you."

Despite the proposed cuts, the superintendant's budget plan would still mean an overall deficit for Clayton schools of 18 million dollars over the next two years.

For WABE News, I'm Jonathan Shapiro. © Copyright 2012, WABE