Teachers in Los Angeles agree to shorten school year

FromThe Los Angeles Times: Los Angeles teachers union members have agreed to shorten the school calendar this and next year. Nearly 80 percent of United Teachers Los Angeles members who cast ballots approved of the deal. It could save the Los Angeles Unified School District up to $140 million, save the jobs of about 2,100 employees and maintain class sizes. Teachers will take an unpaid day off the Friday before Memorial Day, and schools will close four days earlier for summer vacation. Seven additional instructional days would be cut from the 2010-11 academic year. The district is facing a budget deficit of up to $640 million. Several unions, including those representing cafeteria workers and bus drivers, have agreed to take unpaid days off.