Last public meeting held before Oakland Unified votes on budget that could close several schools

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Thursday night was one of the last chances for parents in Oakland to give their opinion about the Oakland Unified School District's budget crisis.

Oakland Unified could run out of money in less than a year without major changes.

Later this month, the school board will vote on a budget that could close several schools.

"We don't think the cuts are necessary," said one parent.

"Close the schools, take the assistant principals away, that is not the way we should run this district," said another parent.

Community members sounding off Thursday night to the Budget and Finance Committee of the Oakland Unified School District.

RELATED: Parents remain outraged as OUSD declines to take action on possible school closures

A committee that during this meeting, could not actually come to an agreement on what budget proposal to recommend to the school board when they vote on a budget later this month.

"I'm disappointed and I do have to agree, there's not going to be anything other than the day of vote now, and to have a last minute wordsmithing on a $95 million package, is the worst kind of practice that I had hoped our board had moved away from," said OUSD board director Mike Hutchinson.

The district is facing a projected budget deficit of at least $95 million. School closures and consolidations are on the table, so is slimming down school staffing even more than it already is.

Former OUSD board member Jody London says that school closures and consolidations may actually benefit students in Oakland.

"If you look at Elmhurst Middle School for example, they consolidated two schools and now the families and the faculty talk about how they have many more elective choices there are more after school sports activities for the students and other things like that," says London.

MORE: Oakland teachers union opposes school mergers, says district budget not as dire as projected

Some in the crowd voiced concerns about the current situation with the district.

"It really feels like a snake eating it's own tail. You know we're losing enrollment, our attendance isn't up so we have to do things that are only going to make enrollment worse and attendance worse. Oakland has to stop that," said one educator and parent.

Presentations given show that Oakland Unified has many more schools in comparison to districts with similar enrollment numbers. London says board members need to take a hard look at what will benefit students here, who are currently struggling achievement wise, and that may actually be closures.

"Every school should have a nurse, a librarian, music enrichment, language whatever those things are then figure out how can you provide that to every school. I think they need to think about instead of what's being taken away from us mentality a deficit mentality, a what do we have to gain. We can increase student achievement. We can provide many more resources for kids who most need them," said London.

The full Oakland Unified School Board will meet Feb. 20 and will then be tasked to vote on a budget which makes major cuts.