Budget Update

As you know, California finally has a budget for 2010-11. The good news is that the budget, while providing less money for education than last year's budget, included more money for schools than the Governor's May Revise budget proposal. That means that there is more money coming to our school district than we planned for when this year's budget was approved. When I last discussed the budget, our district's projected deficit for next year (2011-2012), excluding one-time federal money, was about $1.7 million.

The new state budget will help us minimize the deficit next year, but we will still need to look at some reductions to address the anticipated $4 million strucutural deficit that must be addressed over the next two years.

Our district's Assistant Superintendent of Fiscal Services, Pam Becker, gave a very thorough presentation on Tuesday, Oct. 12, at a special board meeting on the budget. You can view this presentation here.

The risk is that the state budget only resolved about half the state's budget problem. The Legislative Analysts Office is already projecting that California is facing an $18 billion deficit in 2011-2012. Therefore, we have to be prepared for possible mid-year budget cuts and the possibility of cuts in next year's budget.

But at least the district can breathe a bit easier for now. Thanks to everyone in the district for helping weather the storm of the past couple years. And special thanks to Pam Becker and her department for quickly analyzing what the recently passed state budget means for Berryessa schools.

Program Improvement

Last month, I posted a discussion of the national Adequate Yearly Progess measures that are part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, previously knows as No Child Left Behind.

Our school district learned that 4 of our schools [Morrill (year 3), Summerdale, Vinci Park, and Piedmont] are now considered "Program Improvement" (PI) schools. To be labeled a PI school, a school may miss just one of 46 possible measures. Learning where our schools are falling short is a key way to focus on improving achievement.

In addition to the individual schools, our district is now considered a "Program Improvement" district. As a result of this designation, our district must undertake a very thorough study of how we are providing what are called 9 Essential Program Components. This study will be done during the next two months. Our Education Services Department, under the leadership of Assistant Superintendent Barbara Johnston, will lead the study and the effort to implement corrective actions at our schools.

Last night, the Board held a study session to learn more about what the district needs to do address its deficiencies and what kinds of restrictions and requirements are placed on PI schools and districts. A discussion of what it means to be a PI school is available on the district website. The law imposes some restrictions on how Title I money can be spent and will require additional Supplemental Instruction activities be offered.