State/School Budget Updates
State/School Budget Updates
January 8, 2009
We are still receiving information regarding the Governor's latest budget proposals following his refusal to accept the proposal from the Democratic leadership. The proposed cuts would have a major impact on our schools, in both the current year and the 2009-10 school year. Although they are only proposed cuts, by law we are required to plan our 2009-10 budget based on those assumptions. Fortunately we are not required to adjust the current year's budget until they are approved, though we have taken many cost saving measures anticipating difficult times ahead. The Superintendent is receiving regular updates, and will attend formal briefings later this week and early next. We will post his updates here as they are available.
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December 15, 2008
Deputy Superintendent’s December 2008 Update on State Budget
Javetta Cleveland
It is unfortunate that public education once again finds itself at the center of the tug of war in the fight to balance the State’s budget. District educators, staff, teachers, parents, and other community members spent significant time and energy last Spring preparing for the proposed cuts that Governor Schwarzenegger said were necessary to move toward a balanced budget. At the last minute, the Legislature scrambled for a band-aid, staving off the drastic shortage of funds for public education, but by only a few months. Significant economic decline and worsening projections of California tax revenues mean that the budget crisis has not gone away and has only gotten worse. In the spring of 2008 the Governor proposed cuts of 2.5% of the District’s unrestricted budget and 6.5% to most state programs. These cuts were restored in the governor’s final budget, and the final budget even provided a cost of living increase (COLA) for school districts of 0.68%. Now we hear from December's special sessions of the Legislature that the governor proposes to eliminate the COLA of 0.68% and to reduce the this year's budget (for 2008-09) by $300 per ADA which is about $2.5 million for Berkeley Unified. If these cuts materialize during the middle of the year, the cuts would be very challenging, if not impossible.
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February 2008
Alameda County Superintendents: Governor's Budget is Breaking Our Hearts
In a Press Conference held at Westlake Middle School in Oakland, County Superintendent Sheila Jordan was joined by superintendents, board members and parents representing all of the school districts in the County. They came together to publicly deliver a message to the media and the Governor, in response to the 10% budget cuts across the board, proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger.
The Governor's proposed budget cuts for California mean our public schools would lose $4.8 billion - that's 107,000 teachers and cutting more than $24,000 in each classroom.
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The severity of the situation is evidenced by this unprecedented opinion/editorial, which has been signed by all 17 Alameda County school Superintendents, and the Alameda County Superintendent of Schools. The opinion/editorial outlines the grave damage that such deep cuts would have on schools, our children and the future of California.
OPINION/EDITORIAL
Turn public values into public policy ... full funding for our schools
California's schools simply do not have $4.8 billion to cut. In recent tough financial years, Alameda County has endured deep cuts; becoming leaner, while demonstrating progress toward our goal of educating students. At a time when we should be investing more money to protect and increase these gains, school districts across the state are now being asked to reduce even further. This is not a matter of "trimming the fat." The Governor's proposed budget reduction is equivalent to cutting more than $24,000 per classroom, and eliminating 107,000 teachers. Funding for textbooks, child development, supplemental instruction, nutrition and transportation programs, among others, are all jeopardized by this plan.
If this deep cut strategy to fixing the budget prevails, it will significantly reduce funding in districts small and large, urban and suburban. Across the board, districts would face lay offs of teachers and staff, and most would see an increase in class sizes. In Alameda, for example, that district could be faced with increasing class sizes in K-3 from 20 students to 32 students and closing two elementary schools, while San Lorenzo could be forced to reduce art and music classes, among other reductions.
The impact of such a scenario would be devastating not only for school districts, but for all Californians. To quote Schwarzenegger's 2007 State of the State Address, "That small child with sticky hands starting the first day in kindergarten is the foundation of California's economic power and leadership. We must invest in education."
Even in the best of times our school districts are woefully under funded. Education Week magazine recently gave the state a D+ grade for its school funding efforts. California currently spends $2,000 less per student than the national average and ranks 46th in the country in school funding - behind less prosperous states as Louisiana and Mississippi. When the Governor asks California schools to make further cuts, it's like asking a poor family to stop eating to make ends meet; hardly a realistic solution.
Reducing educational spending is not the answer to the state's fiscal crisis. Rather, California's financial health is dependent on what the legislature and Governor do today to address the educational funding deficit.
To secure a successful future for our communities and the state of California we must address a series of vital questions: How do we prepare our youth to meet the demands of a democratic nation? How do we address persistent inequality in our society? How do we maintain our economic prosperity in an increasingly competitive world?
Providing a quality education to every child, in every school and in every classroom is the answer to each of those questions.
This opinion/editorial is signed by Alameda County Schools Superintendent Sheila Jordan and Superintendents of all 17 Unified School Districts in Alameda County.
Superintendent Ardella Dailey, Alameda Unified School District
Superintendent William Wong, Albany Unified School District
Superintendent William Huyett, Berkeley Unified School District
Superintendent Jim Fitzpatrick, Castro Valley Unified School District
Superintendent Stephen L. Henke, Dublin Unified School District
Superintendent Stephen Wesley, Emery Unified School District
Superintendent Doug Gephart, Fremont Unified School District
Superintendent Dale Vigil, Hayward Unified School District
Superintendent Brenda Miller, Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District
Superintendent Patricia Jaurequi, New Haven Unified School District
Superintendent John Bernard, Newark Unified School District
State Administrator Vincent Matthews, Oakland Unified School District
Superintendent Constance Hubbard, Piedmont Unified School District
Superintendent John Casey, Pleasanton Unified School District
Superintendent Christine Lim, San Leandro Unified School District
Superintendent Dennis D. Byas, San Lorenzo Unified School District
Superintendent Molleen Barnes, Sunol Glen Unified School District
Superintendent Sheila Jordan, Alameda County Office of Education
Our hope, and our best guess, is that we will not have to lay anyone off due to the cuts for this fiscal year. This may not be true for the 2009-2010 school year. However, effective immediately, these cost restraint measures have been approved by the Superintendent and Cabinet for implementation.
1. Freeze on certain types of expenditures.
This affects General Fund, programs that encroach on the General Fund like Food Service and Special Education, and many state categorical funds. All proposed expenditures in these categories must be submitted to Cabinet for approval. This includes:
• Filling vacant positions
• Using budgeted travel and conference funds
• Buying equipment
• Hiring new consultants
In addition, overtime and hourly wages will be subject to a more rigorous approval process in each division.
2. Existing Consultant agreements will be reviewed by Cabinet.
All current consultant agreements with unexpended funds in the General Fund will be reviewed by Cabinet for possible cost savings.
Clearly, 2009-10 will be a difficult year for public education. The Superintendent plans to convene the Budget Review Committee soon after the Governor releases his proposed 2009-10 budget in mid-January. It is far too early to speculate on its effect on our 2009-10 budget except to say that staff is planning for decreased revenue compared to this year.
As we obtain more information, we will keep you apprised of our budget situation.
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February 2008