Today, Governor Brown announced the trigger cuts for the middle of the 2011-2012 fiscal year. Things aren't as bad for K-12 schools as feared. The Governor has declared that the economy is improving, and as a result, just $1 billion in cuts will be triggered. While higher education and child care took significant cuts, K-12 schools will be spared. There are some cuts to transportation funding, which amounts to about $11 per student.
As you may remember, this year's state budget included an assumption of $4 billion in additional revenue. If the money didn't materialize, automatic cuts would be triggered on January 1. Today's projection from the Department of Finance shows a shortfall, but less of one than many expected. Schools faced as much as $250 per student in mid-year cuts. Our district set aside the money in reserve to cover the potential cuts for the remainder of this year. We can now use that money to make up for some of our ongoing structural deficit over the next few years.
However, we are not out of the woods yet. Recent estimates are that California faces another $7 billion deficit for 2012-2013. So once again, the legislature will be contemplating cuts when discussing the next budget. That is, unless revenues can be raised in the November 2012 election.
In the mean time, we can enjoy a happier holiday season, knowing that things could have been much worse. Let's hope that the economy continues to improve and California can begin to reinvest in our children.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Transitional Kindergarten
Today is December 2, the date by which children must be 5 years old in order to enter kindergarten in California. Starting next year, that date will move forward by one month each year until it settles on September 1. This will align California with much of the rest of the United States, making sure that children are 5 years old by the time they start school.
Rather than make children born between September 1 and December 2 wait another year, school districts must begin operating a transitional kindergarten program staring in 2012. Studies show that students who have a pre-K educational experience are more likely to be successful in school. During the first year of the new program, districts are required to offer the program to those with birthdays between November 2 and December 2. In the fall of 2014, the program must be fully implemented and offered to those with birthdays after September 1. It will be up to districts if they want to expand the program and make it available to students that were born after December 2.
Transitional kindergarten offers children the opportunity to develop maturity and skills they need to excel in school. It also helps schools by making sure that students are better prepared and less likely to be placed in special education or be retained as they get older.
Berryessa School District is beginning to discuss how we will implement the program. For the first year, there will be approximately 1 transitional K class for every 10 regular K classes. That means the program will not be offered at every school and may be confined to just 1 or 2 campuses. In upcoming board meetings, we will have conversations on how the program will take shape.
Rather than make children born between September 1 and December 2 wait another year, school districts must begin operating a transitional kindergarten program staring in 2012. Studies show that students who have a pre-K educational experience are more likely to be successful in school. During the first year of the new program, districts are required to offer the program to those with birthdays between November 2 and December 2. In the fall of 2014, the program must be fully implemented and offered to those with birthdays after September 1. It will be up to districts if they want to expand the program and make it available to students that were born after December 2.
Transitional kindergarten offers children the opportunity to develop maturity and skills they need to excel in school. It also helps schools by making sure that students are better prepared and less likely to be placed in special education or be retained as they get older.
Berryessa School District is beginning to discuss how we will implement the program. For the first year, there will be approximately 1 transitional K class for every 10 regular K classes. That means the program will not be offered at every school and may be confined to just 1 or 2 campuses. In upcoming board meetings, we will have conversations on how the program will take shape.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Giving Thanks for Berryessa's Successes
As we enter the second trimester of the school year, schools in California face many challenges. We will begin having conversations about many of these topics over the next few months. The news is full of reports that California's revenue is coming in below expectations, so schools may be facing significant mid-year cuts. We continue to deal with the requirements of No Child Left Behind, particularly at our schools that are currently in Program Improvement status. In addition, we must implement a transitional kindergarten program for students who will be too young to start traditional K in August 2012. I will begin writing more about these and other topics starting next month.
But in the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to give thanks for the great work being done by teachers, staff, parents, and students throughout the Berryessa School District. There are great things happening at all of our schools. So thank you everyone, for your dedication to providing top-notch education for Berryessa's students.
In November's Berryessa Sun, Superintendent Will Ector wrote a column highlighting some special achievements in the district. I encourage you to read it here. And make sure you have a safe, enjoyable, and restful Thanksgiving holiday.
But in the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to give thanks for the great work being done by teachers, staff, parents, and students throughout the Berryessa School District. There are great things happening at all of our schools. So thank you everyone, for your dedication to providing top-notch education for Berryessa's students.
In November's Berryessa Sun, Superintendent Will Ector wrote a column highlighting some special achievements in the district. I encourage you to read it here. And make sure you have a safe, enjoyable, and restful Thanksgiving holiday.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Mid-Year Cuts Inevitable?
As you may recall, school districts were bailed out at the last minute for this year in the state budget process. K-12 education funding was kept flat from 2010-2011 to 2011-2012. That allowed Berryessa to avoid having to implement cuts that we had been discussing for much of the spring.
Since the state was unable to secure any guaranteed new revenues, the budget bailout was based on a projection of about $4 billion in increased revenue resulting from an improving economy. The caveat in the final agreement was that if revenues fell short of the projected level, automatic cuts would be triggered midway through the budget year, in January 2012. If updated projections show the state falling up to $2 billion short, cuts will be made to state unversities, child care, and health programs. If revenues fall more than $2 billion short, K-12 education face cuts of up to $1.9 billion. The full level of cuts would mean a reduction of about $250 per student in the current year. For Berryessa, that would create an additional hole of over $2 million.
Based on revenue reports from the first quarter of the fiscal year, it does not look like the state will meet the optimistic budget projections they made in June. The likelihood that the state will fall short by the entire $4 billion is growing as the economic recovery remains very slow.
The cuts are supposed to be automatic based on certain state budget triggers, at the discretion of Governor Brown. I asked one of our Assembly members last week whether the Governor would pull the trigger by himself or consult with the legislature first. I was told that while the Governor would have the authority to make the cuts on his own, he would likely confer with our representatives first. Perhaps adjustments will be made so that schools won't take as big of a hit.
When our Board adopted this year's budget, we prepared for the possibility of midyear cuts by setting aside enough money to cover the shortfall without having to change our course in the middle of the year. But if we end up spending that money in the current year, the district faces tough decisions on what to cut from our budget next year in order to remain solvent. We could be in for a bumpy ride if current budget projections are correct.
Since the state was unable to secure any guaranteed new revenues, the budget bailout was based on a projection of about $4 billion in increased revenue resulting from an improving economy. The caveat in the final agreement was that if revenues fell short of the projected level, automatic cuts would be triggered midway through the budget year, in January 2012. If updated projections show the state falling up to $2 billion short, cuts will be made to state unversities, child care, and health programs. If revenues fall more than $2 billion short, K-12 education face cuts of up to $1.9 billion. The full level of cuts would mean a reduction of about $250 per student in the current year. For Berryessa, that would create an additional hole of over $2 million.
Based on revenue reports from the first quarter of the fiscal year, it does not look like the state will meet the optimistic budget projections they made in June. The likelihood that the state will fall short by the entire $4 billion is growing as the economic recovery remains very slow.
The cuts are supposed to be automatic based on certain state budget triggers, at the discretion of Governor Brown. I asked one of our Assembly members last week whether the Governor would pull the trigger by himself or consult with the legislature first. I was told that while the Governor would have the authority to make the cuts on his own, he would likely confer with our representatives first. Perhaps adjustments will be made so that schools won't take as big of a hit.
When our Board adopted this year's budget, we prepared for the possibility of midyear cuts by setting aside enough money to cover the shortfall without having to change our course in the middle of the year. But if we end up spending that money in the current year, the district faces tough decisions on what to cut from our budget next year in order to remain solvent. We could be in for a bumpy ride if current budget projections are correct.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Physical Fitness Compliments Mental Fitness
Educating the whole child includes a robust physical education. Studies show that physical fitness enhances mental fitness and learning. All of Berryessa's schools are taking physical fitness seriously, regularly participating in walk-a-thons, Jump Rope for Heart, and other events. These activities are above and beyond the traditional PE classes that are a part of California's curriculum.
I want to recognize several schools for their extra commitment to fitness. This morning, folks from the district and Ruskin Elementary School were in Sacramento to receive the grand prize in the 2011 Governor's Physical Fitness Challenge competition. Participant schools encourage regular physical activity by their students and log exercise time. Ruskin students had 100% participation this year and logged nearly 159,000 active days. As a result, they have been awarded $100,000 worth of gym equipment, which will be installed at the school. A local celebration and awards ceremony will be held in the near future.
Ruskin wasn't the only participant in the Governor's challenge this past year. Brooktree and Noble Elementary Schools both also finished in the top 10 statewide. Congratulations to all 3 schools.
The playground is an important place for students to get their daily exercise. Noble Elementary School was one of 4 schools in the entire country to be awarded a free playground courtesy of Old Navy and Terracycle. The playground is made in part out of recycled used flip-flops. This past Saturday, the school held a very successful and enjoyable community build event. Parents and district staff were on hand to build the playground and kids will start using the new equipment this week.
Noble is also participating in Earthquakes Fit. Earlier this week, representatives from the San Jose Earthquakes soccer team came to the school for a kick-off assembly. Third and fourth graders will log their exercises and after 5 weeks, a closing assembly will hopefully include a visit from an Earthquakes player.
Continuing on the fitness theme, Noble's PTA, with the help from other district schools, is organizing the first Berryessa 5K Walk/Run. Join me on Sunday morning, October 9, as we run through Penetencia Creek Park and the surrounding community, beginning and ending at the Berryessa Community Center.
I want to recognize several schools for their extra commitment to fitness. This morning, folks from the district and Ruskin Elementary School were in Sacramento to receive the grand prize in the 2011 Governor's Physical Fitness Challenge competition. Participant schools encourage regular physical activity by their students and log exercise time. Ruskin students had 100% participation this year and logged nearly 159,000 active days. As a result, they have been awarded $100,000 worth of gym equipment, which will be installed at the school. A local celebration and awards ceremony will be held in the near future.
Ruskin wasn't the only participant in the Governor's challenge this past year. Brooktree and Noble Elementary Schools both also finished in the top 10 statewide. Congratulations to all 3 schools.
The playground is an important place for students to get their daily exercise. Noble Elementary School was one of 4 schools in the entire country to be awarded a free playground courtesy of Old Navy and Terracycle. The playground is made in part out of recycled used flip-flops. This past Saturday, the school held a very successful and enjoyable community build event. Parents and district staff were on hand to build the playground and kids will start using the new equipment this week.
Noble is also participating in Earthquakes Fit. Earlier this week, representatives from the San Jose Earthquakes soccer team came to the school for a kick-off assembly. Third and fourth graders will log their exercises and after 5 weeks, a closing assembly will hopefully include a visit from an Earthquakes player.
Continuing on the fitness theme, Noble's PTA, with the help from other district schools, is organizing the first Berryessa 5K Walk/Run. Join me on Sunday morning, October 9, as we run through Penetencia Creek Park and the surrounding community, beginning and ending at the Berryessa Community Center.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
District Continues to Improve Performance, but Challenges Remain
Congratulations to all the staff of the Berryessa Union School District on another year of stellar growth on the API test. Overall, the district showed a 20-point gain, reaching a score of 843. Twelve of our 13 schools met their API targets and 11 are now above 800, which is the state target. In addition, all of our subgroups showed gains and 11 of the schools had the subgroups meet their targets. This tremendous performance is testament to the hard work of all teachers, staff, administrators, and of course our wonderful students.
Despite the gains, the federal targets set by No Child Left Behind continue to grow at such a rapid pace, that even with the growth our district showed, more of our schools are falling into the Program Improvement category. Simply put, even though our district is meeting California standards for exemplary performance, we are receiving what amounts to a failing grade from the federal government. The chart on the right (from the Mercury News) shows the increasing statewide proficiency levels and the much steeper national targets.
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) looks not just at overall school performance, but sets targets for all subgroups, including racial minorities, socio-economically disadvantaged, and English language learners. Understanding how our schools are performing with each of these categories of students has helped staff focus on students who have traditionally struggled. As a result, strategies are being implemented to help narrow the achievement gap. This is valuable information for our schools.
However, the punitive nature of the accountability system removes school site flexibility and results in severe sanctions that are not always best for our schools. Since Congress appears unlikely to act on solving the problems with NCLB, California's Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson is seeking a waiver from the program. Here are a couple of articles discussing Torlakson's feelings:
Despite the gains, the federal targets set by No Child Left Behind continue to grow at such a rapid pace, that even with the growth our district showed, more of our schools are falling into the Program Improvement category. Simply put, even though our district is meeting California standards for exemplary performance, we are receiving what amounts to a failing grade from the federal government. The chart on the right (from the Mercury News) shows the increasing statewide proficiency levels and the much steeper national targets.
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) looks not just at overall school performance, but sets targets for all subgroups, including racial minorities, socio-economically disadvantaged, and English language learners. Understanding how our schools are performing with each of these categories of students has helped staff focus on students who have traditionally struggled. As a result, strategies are being implemented to help narrow the achievement gap. This is valuable information for our schools.
However, the punitive nature of the accountability system removes school site flexibility and results in severe sanctions that are not always best for our schools. Since Congress appears unlikely to act on solving the problems with NCLB, California's Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson is seeking a waiver from the program. Here are a couple of articles discussing Torlakson's feelings:
- Torlakson Wants NCLB Waiver
- Torlakson's Letter to the Department of Education
- California Could Join NCLB Revolt
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Starting a New Year
Next week Berryessa students will once again enter our campuses, eagerly awaiting the new year of school, ready and excited about learning. District staff has been working hard all summer to make sure the campuses are ready for all the activity they will be seeing.
Our new Superintendent, Mr. Will Ector, started on August 1, and has been getting to know our campuses, staff, and community. He has hit the ground running and will be a tremendous leader for our district.
This morning, the district welcomed back all employees with a reception and kickoff event. Today is the first official day back at work for teachers. They, and all the staff, are what make our district a special place. Some employees have been with Berryessa for over 40 years, showing an amazing dedication to the education of our children. At the kickoff event, this year's employees of the year were recognized. They were nominated by their peers for doing exceptional work at their sites. There is one honoree from each of the employee groups. This year's teacher of the year is Marsha Yee, a resource specialist at Northwood Elementary School. The classified employee of the year is Judy Kling, who works in the special education department. Linda Talmage, a classified administrator in the Education Services Department, was honored as administrator of the year. Congratulations to these three dedicated employees.
Thanks to all the employees who work so hard for our children and our community. And welcome to an exciting new school year.
Our new Superintendent, Mr. Will Ector, started on August 1, and has been getting to know our campuses, staff, and community. He has hit the ground running and will be a tremendous leader for our district.
This morning, the district welcomed back all employees with a reception and kickoff event. Today is the first official day back at work for teachers. They, and all the staff, are what make our district a special place. Some employees have been with Berryessa for over 40 years, showing an amazing dedication to the education of our children. At the kickoff event, this year's employees of the year were recognized. They were nominated by their peers for doing exceptional work at their sites. There is one honoree from each of the employee groups. This year's teacher of the year is Marsha Yee, a resource specialist at Northwood Elementary School. The classified employee of the year is Judy Kling, who works in the special education department. Linda Talmage, a classified administrator in the Education Services Department, was honored as administrator of the year. Congratulations to these three dedicated employees.
Thanks to all the employees who work so hard for our children and our community. And welcome to an exciting new school year.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Update on Solar Installation
The Berryessa School District has been putting together plans for an innovative solar installation at each of our school sites. The plan is unique in that the installation will not cost the district anything, and the district will benefit from savings in electricity expenses as well as from sharing carbon credits in the future.
The project would be in partnership with a venture capital firm that would pay for all the design and construction and would own the solar panels. They would then sell electricity back to the district at a rate below the rate PG&E charges.
The project is financially viable as long as all construction is complete by the end of 2012, so that the funding party can take advantage of tax credits that are scheduled to expire at that time.
The district's contribution is the land at each site where solar would be installed. The Board has decided that we should not risk damage to our new roofs and therefore all solar installations will be ground mount or parking lot cover styles.
The Board will vote on August 23 to get the process moving. The next step after that will be a series of public hearings so that the public has a chance to view the designs and give feedback before designs are finalized later this fall.
The project would be in partnership with a venture capital firm that would pay for all the design and construction and would own the solar panels. They would then sell electricity back to the district at a rate below the rate PG&E charges.
The project is financially viable as long as all construction is complete by the end of 2012, so that the funding party can take advantage of tax credits that are scheduled to expire at that time.
The district's contribution is the land at each site where solar would be installed. The Board has decided that we should not risk damage to our new roofs and therefore all solar installations will be ground mount or parking lot cover styles.
The Board will vote on August 23 to get the process moving. The next step after that will be a series of public hearings so that the public has a chance to view the designs and give feedback before designs are finalized later this fall.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Welcome Will Ector, our new Superintendent
Here is the official announcement from Board President Khoa Nguyen, welcoming Will Ector as the new Superintendent:
During the past month, the board reviewed 19 highly qualified candidates ranging from sitting superintendents to assistant superintendents all across California from right here in the bay area to southern California, to even the east coast. However, when reviewing the candidates, only one candidate unanimously ranked as a top candidate for all five board members.
This candidate comes to us from the Evergreen School District with 37 years of public education experience at the K-8 level, with the majority of his career spent entirely within the Evergreen School District.
Of those 37 years, 6 of those years he served as a middle school math and PE teacher, and for the past 29 years he served as an administrator in the capacity of assistant principal, principal, and most recently, as Director of Human Resources.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to congratulate and welcome the current Director of Human Resources at the Evergreen School District, Mr. Will Ector, where he also served 14 years on the Superintendent's Cabinet, to the Berryessa Union School District as the new incoming superintendent. Mr. Ector will assume office on Tuesday July 19 to replace Dr. Liebman upon his retirement on Thursday July 28.
Mr. Ector was hired with an unanimous approval of 5-0 from all five board members. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Ector, we all look forward to having your leadership here in Berryessa!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
End of the School Year
Last night at our Board meeting, we recognized the 26 Berryessa district employees who are retiring this year. Between them, they represent about 650 years of service to students. It's hard to even imagine how many lives they have touched. It has been a tremendous pleasure getting to personally know many of the great retirees and they will be missed.
What makes the Berryessa community so great is the combination of wonderful families, amazing students, and dedicated employees. I love living in a community with such rich diversity and caring people.
Now that the year is coming to a close, I want to express my appreciation to all employees of the Berryessa School District, who go above and beyond on a regular basis. It has been a challenging year, and I know many of our certificated employees (teachers, counselors, etc) have been through a rough period of uncertainty, due to California's budget crisis. Fortunately, before the last day of school, we have been able to reinstate all employees that had been laid off in May. There are still uncertain times ahead, but it will be great to start the 2011-2012 school year with all of our current staff returning.
Thanks to everyone for all you do for the children of Berryessa. If you are a member of PTA, thanks for raising money and helping your schools do just a little extra. If you are a volunteer, thanks for making your school a better place. If you are a parent of one of the district's 8000 students, thanks for being positive role models in the community. If you are a district employee, thanks for making the school district a positive learning environment for our children.
Have a great summer. Rest, recharge, and get ready for even better things to come.
What makes the Berryessa community so great is the combination of wonderful families, amazing students, and dedicated employees. I love living in a community with such rich diversity and caring people.
Now that the year is coming to a close, I want to express my appreciation to all employees of the Berryessa School District, who go above and beyond on a regular basis. It has been a challenging year, and I know many of our certificated employees (teachers, counselors, etc) have been through a rough period of uncertainty, due to California's budget crisis. Fortunately, before the last day of school, we have been able to reinstate all employees that had been laid off in May. There are still uncertain times ahead, but it will be great to start the 2011-2012 school year with all of our current staff returning.
Thanks to everyone for all you do for the children of Berryessa. If you are a member of PTA, thanks for raising money and helping your schools do just a little extra. If you are a volunteer, thanks for making your school a better place. If you are a parent of one of the district's 8000 students, thanks for being positive role models in the community. If you are a district employee, thanks for making the school district a positive learning environment for our children.
Have a great summer. Rest, recharge, and get ready for even better things to come.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
School District Librarian
Two years ago, the Berryessa School District hired a credentialed librarian. This was a great addition to the services we offer our students. Libraries are an important part of school curriculum and the learning process. We have wonderful media techs who staff each of our school libraries.
The district librarian works out of the District Office and supports and enriches the academic programs at all of our schools. Our librarian is a trained professional who helps the district implement library standards recently adopted by the State Board of Education.
The national recommendation is for there to be a credentialed librarian at each school. The State of California requires that any school district that provides library services has at least one credentialed librarian. While we cannot staff to the national recommendations, we are lucky to have our librarian on board.
While following the law on library operations is important, equally important are the skills that a credentialed librarian brings to a school district.
The district librarian works out of the District Office and supports and enriches the academic programs at all of our schools. Our librarian is a trained professional who helps the district implement library standards recently adopted by the State Board of Education.
The national recommendation is for there to be a credentialed librarian at each school. The State of California requires that any school district that provides library services has at least one credentialed librarian. While we cannot staff to the national recommendations, we are lucky to have our librarian on board.
While following the law on library operations is important, equally important are the skills that a credentialed librarian brings to a school district.
- Curricular support: Librarians bring an understanding of curriculum and instruction and how to integrate the library resources to support and expand learning for all students.
- Broad knowledge of supplementary materials to support the standards: Librarians are trained to provide assistance to teachers and students in the evaluation, selection, production and use of instructional materials.
- Understanding of how to better utilize the libraries: There are new models for library service in schools that are studied in library curriculum and our librarian provides an understanding of how to utilize these models to better our schools.
- Training on the integration of technology into the library to support curriculum.
- Professional development: Librarians are trained to support staff in becoming more knowledgeable and current on uses of library media services.
- Information literacy: An entire field of school library study is helping teach students to discern quality of information they are bombarded with online and elsewhere. As students move to high school, they need to be trained to think critically about information. A librarian can help develop that kind of curriculum.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Coming to the End of the Tunnel?
Last week, Governor Brown released his May Revise of the 2011-2012 California budget. As a result of unexpected tax revenue, he has proposed providing an additional $3 billion to schools. This is excellent news, the kind that we have not received in many years.
Remember that Brown's January budget proposal would have kept school funding nearly flat, but relied on the extension of a number of taxes that otherwise expire this year. The $3 billion addition is on top of that level. It wouldn't be direct funding to schools, but would allow the state to cancel some of the deferrals that the state has used as a gimmick to balance their budget.
The latest proposal also relies on the extension of most of the taxes, and would therefore require the vote of some Republican legislators. However, there is reason to be optimistic that even if the taxes are not extended, schools will remain largely unscathed.
First, the remaining state deficit is $6 billion, rather than the $12 billion we were facing in January. Therefore, the schools' share of a "cuts-only" budget would now be about $3 billion. That would likely result in the reinstatement of the cancelled deferrals. While these deferrals would be a hardship for some school districts, Berryessa's budget can withstand this "hit."
Secondly, the increased tax revenue means that the minimum Proposition 98 guarantee has gone up since the beginning of the year. Since a majority of legislators have said they would vote against suspending Prop. 98, an all-cuts budget would still likely result in Brown's January school spending levels.
What does all this mean for Berryessa? If even the scenario that I described in the previous paragraph occurs, our district would be able to avoid most of the service cuts we have been wrestling with this spring. That is excellent news.
Tonight, the Board will be meeting to discuss the latest budget information and how to move forward. We must decide how big of a risk it would be to bring back all employees immediately, or whether we should wait a little longer to see how the budget negotiations play out in Sacramento.
Thanks go to parents, teachers, and other stakeholders, who have spent the past month lobbying for adquate education funding. It is clear that our cries have been heard. With the good news that we are receiving about the budget, it looks like we might finally be coming to the end of the tunnel.
UPDATE: The Board has decided to rescind the layoff notices and rehire all the teachers affected by the previous actions. In addition, the district will reinstate three middle school counseling positions, the three middle school assistant principals, the teachers advisors, and the program specialist. Other positions, including elementary music and PE teachers, the remaining counselor/social workers, and the district librarian, remain to be decided in June. Upshot for K-3 classrooms - class size will remain at about 24 students for 2011-2012.
Remember that Brown's January budget proposal would have kept school funding nearly flat, but relied on the extension of a number of taxes that otherwise expire this year. The $3 billion addition is on top of that level. It wouldn't be direct funding to schools, but would allow the state to cancel some of the deferrals that the state has used as a gimmick to balance their budget.
The latest proposal also relies on the extension of most of the taxes, and would therefore require the vote of some Republican legislators. However, there is reason to be optimistic that even if the taxes are not extended, schools will remain largely unscathed.
First, the remaining state deficit is $6 billion, rather than the $12 billion we were facing in January. Therefore, the schools' share of a "cuts-only" budget would now be about $3 billion. That would likely result in the reinstatement of the cancelled deferrals. While these deferrals would be a hardship for some school districts, Berryessa's budget can withstand this "hit."
Secondly, the increased tax revenue means that the minimum Proposition 98 guarantee has gone up since the beginning of the year. Since a majority of legislators have said they would vote against suspending Prop. 98, an all-cuts budget would still likely result in Brown's January school spending levels.
What does all this mean for Berryessa? If even the scenario that I described in the previous paragraph occurs, our district would be able to avoid most of the service cuts we have been wrestling with this spring. That is excellent news.
Tonight, the Board will be meeting to discuss the latest budget information and how to move forward. We must decide how big of a risk it would be to bring back all employees immediately, or whether we should wait a little longer to see how the budget negotiations play out in Sacramento.
Thanks go to parents, teachers, and other stakeholders, who have spent the past month lobbying for adquate education funding. It is clear that our cries have been heard. With the good news that we are receiving about the budget, it looks like we might finally be coming to the end of the tunnel.
UPDATE: The Board has decided to rescind the layoff notices and rehire all the teachers affected by the previous actions. In addition, the district will reinstate three middle school counseling positions, the three middle school assistant principals, the teachers advisors, and the program specialist. Other positions, including elementary music and PE teachers, the remaining counselor/social workers, and the district librarian, remain to be decided in June. Upshot for K-3 classrooms - class size will remain at about 24 students for 2011-2012.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Advocate for Our Schools
This week, the California Teachers Association is sponsoring a statewide Week of Action to call attention to the devastating effects budget cuts have had, and will continue to have, on California schools. Members of the community will join CTA to support solutions that protect schools from further cuts.
The Berryessa School District has been significantly impacted by budget cuts over the past 5 years, absorbing budget reductions of 11%. As a result, our students have fewer services available to them. The outcome has been larger class sizes, reduced library hours, reduced school support staff, fewer custodial resources, a slimmed down district office, fewer counselors, and 2 fewer school days, among other things.
None of these cuts has been good for the more than 8000 students our district educates. I commend the hard work of our teachers, administrators, and staff, who have rededicated themselves to doing more with less. Everybody who works in our district cares about the kids above all else.
The state’s ongoing budget crisis threatens to further erode the services we are able to provide. The budget picture is still murky, but will come into better focus next week after Governor Brown releases his revised budget proposal (often called the “May Revise”). Unfortunately, the California Senate Republican Caucus stated last week “that public education’s woes have nothing to do with a shortage of funds.” Therefore, it is important that we continue to make the case that schools cannot tolerate further cuts.
A state budget that is balanced by cuts alone is estimated to reduce our district’s budget by more than 5% on top of the cuts we have already endured. The outcome would be further increases in class size, an even shorter school year, and jeopardy of programs such as music, counseling, and libraries. The Berryessa School Board supports a balanced approach to the state budget that includes extending current revenue levels along with significant cuts.
Please contact your legislators and let them know that you support the balanced approach – one that fulfills our commitment to educate the next generation of Californians. Even more importantly, if you have friends or family in other parts of the state who are represented by Republican legislators, urge them to make the same plea. It will take two Republican votes in each house of the legislature to extend $10 billion of revenue sources that otherwise will expire this year. Part of Santa Clara County is represented by Senator Sam Blakeslee. He appears open to considering Governor Brown’s balanced solution. Contact his office and encourage him to do so.
Our children and California’s economy depend on education to succeed in the future. I hope that Berryessa schools will be able to continue providing a top-notch education for years to come.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
School Climate and Expulsions
A very important role of school districts is to make sure that schools maintain a safe environment for students. A couple years ago, the Board asked that all schools include programs promoting school climate in their Site Plans. All schools now have concrete goals around creating positive learning environments.
One of the most unpleasant duties of the Board of Trustees is to make decisions about students who are caught committing expellable offenses. These include the possession or consumption of alcohol or drugs on campus, the possession of a weapon, such as a knife or gun, gang activity, or getting into fights.
The Board discusses these cases in closed session and usually must decide whether to expel the student from the district or suspend the expulsion so that the student has the chance to remain in one of our schools. In either case, the Board attaches a rehabilitation plan that the student must follow in order to remove the expulsion from their record or be readmitted to the district. When an expulsion is suspended, the student is usually moved to another school in the district and any further discipline referral can result in complete expulsion without further review.
Expelled students are referred to Santa Clara County's alternative school, which for middle school students on the East Side of the County is Stonegate School. Today, I visited Stonegate and got a tour of their program. Stonegate is a small facility with 3 classrooms, a "multi-purpose" room, and an office, located on the edge of the Stonegate Elementary School campus. The school has 3 teachers, an aide, a resource specialist, and a part-time principal and secretary. In addition, there is always a San Jose Police Officer on site as well as a counselor from California Youth Outreach.
In addition to teaching material from California's standards, Stonegate helps students focus on making positive choices with the ultimate goal of reintegrating students back into their home school districts. The school does a good job for its students considering its low budget.
I have always felt that our role as a school district is to do all we can to keep students in our schools and find ways to help them be successful. That is why support services such as counselors, school psychologists, and social workers are an important part of the school community. If we intervene with children who have issues outside of school or are acting out on campus, we can help them make better choices and avoid having to deal with expellable behavior. Not only is it better for the students to remain in their local school, but it is financially better for the district. When a student is referred to Stonegate School, we must pay the County for their education out of our general fund.
The Board must strike a delicate balance between serving all our students and ensuring campus safety. I will continue to support services that address behavioral issues and find ways to minimize the number of students in our district that must be expelled.
One of the most unpleasant duties of the Board of Trustees is to make decisions about students who are caught committing expellable offenses. These include the possession or consumption of alcohol or drugs on campus, the possession of a weapon, such as a knife or gun, gang activity, or getting into fights.
The Board discusses these cases in closed session and usually must decide whether to expel the student from the district or suspend the expulsion so that the student has the chance to remain in one of our schools. In either case, the Board attaches a rehabilitation plan that the student must follow in order to remove the expulsion from their record or be readmitted to the district. When an expulsion is suspended, the student is usually moved to another school in the district and any further discipline referral can result in complete expulsion without further review.
Expelled students are referred to Santa Clara County's alternative school, which for middle school students on the East Side of the County is Stonegate School. Today, I visited Stonegate and got a tour of their program. Stonegate is a small facility with 3 classrooms, a "multi-purpose" room, and an office, located on the edge of the Stonegate Elementary School campus. The school has 3 teachers, an aide, a resource specialist, and a part-time principal and secretary. In addition, there is always a San Jose Police Officer on site as well as a counselor from California Youth Outreach.
In addition to teaching material from California's standards, Stonegate helps students focus on making positive choices with the ultimate goal of reintegrating students back into their home school districts. The school does a good job for its students considering its low budget.
I have always felt that our role as a school district is to do all we can to keep students in our schools and find ways to help them be successful. That is why support services such as counselors, school psychologists, and social workers are an important part of the school community. If we intervene with children who have issues outside of school or are acting out on campus, we can help them make better choices and avoid having to deal with expellable behavior. Not only is it better for the students to remain in their local school, but it is financially better for the district. When a student is referred to Stonegate School, we must pay the County for their education out of our general fund.
The Board must strike a delicate balance between serving all our students and ensuring campus safety. I will continue to support services that address behavioral issues and find ways to minimize the number of students in our district that must be expelled.
Monday, April 25, 2011
How Bad Will It Get?
As we head into May, there are still many questions to be answered for the 2011-2012 budget. And we have the crazy possibility that schools will be closed at this time next year.
Currently, we are building our budget around funding cuts of $350/student. However, if the all-cuts budget is adopted in Sacramento, with no new revenues, schools may be facing cuts of $5 billion, which would translate to over $800 per student. It is hard to even figure out how districts like ours would survive with such a steep drop in revenue.
As it is, the lower level of cuts would require increasing class size, shortening the school year by a few more days, and cutting some other district programs. If the higher level of cuts is implemented, more drastic approaches will have to occur.
State Senator Joe Simitian, an expert on education issues said, "Just take a minute to revisit this question: What does that mean for your district? I understand you think it is beyond comprehension. It cannot be beyond comprehension." Despite that admonition, I am not able to comprehend what we would have to do to balance our budget under that scenario.
The Superintendent of Fresno Unified School District, Mike Hanson, put it best, by saying that he has pulled rabbits out of hats before, investing in supplies, libraries and summer school programs by cutting elsewhere. However, he "can't find the hat now. There's no more rabbit. Let alone the hat."
State Superintendent Tom Torlakson says that would bankrupt more than 100 school districts and called it "almost unfathomable. It would be chaotic. It would be very costly."
Several programs would probably be eliminated by the state legislature in that event. Most relevant to us is the K-3 class size reduction program. It would mean that 30 students per class would once again become the norm. It is also possible that the state would speed up the 3-year phase-in of the law that moves the date for kindergarten eligibility from December to September.
Back to the length of the school year, state Treasurer Bill Lockyer last month suggested the school year might have to be cut by two months to achieve all the anticipated savings should Gov. Brown's tax extension fail. Although nobody has formally proposed such a drastic change, nobody can figure out what programs are left to cut that would realize the required savings.
Currently, we are building our budget around funding cuts of $350/student. However, if the all-cuts budget is adopted in Sacramento, with no new revenues, schools may be facing cuts of $5 billion, which would translate to over $800 per student. It is hard to even figure out how districts like ours would survive with such a steep drop in revenue.
As it is, the lower level of cuts would require increasing class size, shortening the school year by a few more days, and cutting some other district programs. If the higher level of cuts is implemented, more drastic approaches will have to occur.
State Senator Joe Simitian, an expert on education issues said, "Just take a minute to revisit this question: What does that mean for your district? I understand you think it is beyond comprehension. It cannot be beyond comprehension." Despite that admonition, I am not able to comprehend what we would have to do to balance our budget under that scenario.
The Superintendent of Fresno Unified School District, Mike Hanson, put it best, by saying that he has pulled rabbits out of hats before, investing in supplies, libraries and summer school programs by cutting elsewhere. However, he "can't find the hat now. There's no more rabbit. Let alone the hat."
State Superintendent Tom Torlakson says that would bankrupt more than 100 school districts and called it "almost unfathomable. It would be chaotic. It would be very costly."
Several programs would probably be eliminated by the state legislature in that event. Most relevant to us is the K-3 class size reduction program. It would mean that 30 students per class would once again become the norm. It is also possible that the state would speed up the 3-year phase-in of the law that moves the date for kindergarten eligibility from December to September.
Back to the length of the school year, state Treasurer Bill Lockyer last month suggested the school year might have to be cut by two months to achieve all the anticipated savings should Gov. Brown's tax extension fail. Although nobody has formally proposed such a drastic change, nobody can figure out what programs are left to cut that would realize the required savings.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Superintendent Search Underway
The Berryessa School Board approved the timeline for our superintendent search last night and we plan on interviewing finalists in early June. The official job announcement will be hitting trade publications starting the week of April 18.
Next week, the district, with the help of search consultant ELS, will be developing our district's leadership profile, which describes the leadership qualities we will be looking for in our superintendent. Wendell Chun from ELS will be in the district next week to interview stakeholders, which includes parents, teachers, classified employees, students, and other community members. It is important to have a broad cross section of the community involved in order to get a good feel for the culture of the community and our schools.
Your participation in this process will help to ensure that our district finds the right superintendent. Each stakeholder will be offered a 15 minute interview time on Monday until 8 pm or Tuesday 9-5. If you are interested in participating in the process, please contact me. Or you can contact Michele Holscher at the district office directly. She will be organizing Dr. Chun's schedule for the two days.
Another way to provide input is to fill out a survey that asks questions about what characteristics and qualifications you want in a board member and your thoughts on the state of the district. The survey is available on the district website to print, complete, and send by mail.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Preparing for Significant Budget Cuts
It is looking less likely that Governor Brown will be able to get the tax extension measure on the ballot in June. Unfortunately for California schools, that means we will be forced to implement an all-cuts budget for 2011-2012. Projections are that we will have our state funding reduced by $349 per student. For Berryessa, that is about $2.8 million out of a budget that was already deficit spending by over $2 million.
To put things in perspective, each percentage cut in pay for all district employees would save $375,000. The entire $2.8 million reduction in state funding could be bridged through across the board salary reductions of 7.5%. While this would allow us to preserve all the programs we currently offer, this puts the entire burden of the state's economy on our district's hard-working employees, which is not fair to the people who work so hard to educate our children.
Note that many of the proposed cuts being discussed require negotiated settlements with our teachers' union. So besides discusions at board meetings, solutions will be derived from ongoing conversations with CTAB, as well as our two classified unions, CSEA and Teamsters.
As always, I will continue to keep you informed of these hard choices facing our district. Again, please consider attending our board meeting on Monday, March 28th to let your voice be heard on where our district should consider budget cuts. Know how much I appreciate your feedback; by email, through this blog, and by attending board meetings.
While none of the discussed budget choices are welcomed, I firmly believe that if we work together our children will benefit with a quality education.
Next Monday, March 28, the Board will be holding a workshop on the budget to discuss the cost-cutting options available to us. We encourage the public to provide input on the programs that are important to you or suggest ideas on how we can make these significant cuts. Please join us and speak up during the public comment portion of the meeting.
I have been proud of the fact that Berryessa has been able to keep K-3 classes at 24 students. Many districts have already increased classes to 30. For next year, we will need to find ways to reduce our budget. Further increases in class size, which result in greater burdens for our teachers and less personal attention for our students, provides the biggest dollar savings. If we were to go to 30:1 at the primary grades, that would save $1 million.
Other equally undesirable cuts include eliminating elementary school music, which would save about $300,000. Eliminating middle school counselors would save $400,000. Shortening the school year by furloughing employees would save $165,000 for each day. Other cuts on the table include eliminating the only district librarian, the only district nurse, and cutting middle school assistant principals.To put things in perspective, each percentage cut in pay for all district employees would save $375,000. The entire $2.8 million reduction in state funding could be bridged through across the board salary reductions of 7.5%. While this would allow us to preserve all the programs we currently offer, this puts the entire burden of the state's economy on our district's hard-working employees, which is not fair to the people who work so hard to educate our children.
Note that many of the proposed cuts being discussed require negotiated settlements with our teachers' union. So besides discusions at board meetings, solutions will be derived from ongoing conversations with CTAB, as well as our two classified unions, CSEA and Teamsters.
As always, I will continue to keep you informed of these hard choices facing our district. Again, please consider attending our board meeting on Monday, March 28th to let your voice be heard on where our district should consider budget cuts. Know how much I appreciate your feedback; by email, through this blog, and by attending board meetings.
While none of the discussed budget choices are welcomed, I firmly believe that if we work together our children will benefit with a quality education.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Pink Tuesday
One of the most difficult votes I take as a boardmember is to cut services and issue layoff notices to the great teachers in our district. Just over a week ago, our Board had to face such a decision. Today is the statutory deadline to give out so-called "pink slips" informing teachers that they may not have a job next year. This year, to my dismay, is one of the worst our district has faced in terms of uncertainty and number of employees affected.
The Mercury News reported this morning that nearly every school district in our county, regardless of demographics or wealth, is affected by the state's poor fiscal situation and this year's high degree of uncertainty.
In Berryessa, 99 teachers, administrators, and other certificated employees received notices that they may not have a job next year or may have to change jobs. As I visit schools and talk with young teachers who may not be with us next year, it breaks my heart, both for their careers and for our children, who may not have the benefit of their skills when they return to school in August.
Because we have no idea if the state will eventually adopt Gov. Brown's budget proposal, which includes revenue solutions, school districts must be prepared to make drastic cuts. In order to maintain flexibility, many different services are on the current list. Possible cuts include our district nurse, our district librarian, elementary music teachers, middle school assistant principals, counselors, school psychologists, and classroom teachers.
As we move into April and May, the district will once again try to rescind pink slips as we know more about next year. As some of our senior teachers announce their retirements, openings will be created. In the meantime, some cost savings will be negotiated with our teachers' union (CTAB). Also, the board will begin to prioritize the cuts so that the district will have a better feel for the eventual choices we will make.
However, until the voters have spoken in June (assuming a tax measure get placed on the ballot by the legislature), the district will very likely have to keep many dedicated employees on the layoff list. That will make it a long spring for many of our teachers, administrators, and families.
The Mercury News reported this morning that nearly every school district in our county, regardless of demographics or wealth, is affected by the state's poor fiscal situation and this year's high degree of uncertainty.
In Berryessa, 99 teachers, administrators, and other certificated employees received notices that they may not have a job next year or may have to change jobs. As I visit schools and talk with young teachers who may not be with us next year, it breaks my heart, both for their careers and for our children, who may not have the benefit of their skills when they return to school in August.
Because we have no idea if the state will eventually adopt Gov. Brown's budget proposal, which includes revenue solutions, school districts must be prepared to make drastic cuts. In order to maintain flexibility, many different services are on the current list. Possible cuts include our district nurse, our district librarian, elementary music teachers, middle school assistant principals, counselors, school psychologists, and classroom teachers.
As we move into April and May, the district will once again try to rescind pink slips as we know more about next year. As some of our senior teachers announce their retirements, openings will be created. In the meantime, some cost savings will be negotiated with our teachers' union (CTAB). Also, the board will begin to prioritize the cuts so that the district will have a better feel for the eventual choices we will make.
However, until the voters have spoken in June (assuming a tax measure get placed on the ballot by the legislature), the district will very likely have to keep many dedicated employees on the layoff list. That will make it a long spring for many of our teachers, administrators, and families.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Addressing Program Improvement Status
As a result of national Adequate Yearly Progress measures, 4 of our schools and our district as a whole have been placed in "Program Improvement" status. 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. That's the good news. As a result of work that has been done by our Education Services Department, corrective actions are being developed. Tonight at our Board meeting, we are being asked to approve a Language Arts Intervention program, which will be implemented for 4th and 5th grades at our 2 PI elementary schools (Summerdale, Vinci Park) and for 6-8 grades at all three middle schools.
To put the Program Improvement designation into perspective, I want to repost what I wrote last September. It is important to keep in mind that our district has been making significant gains in achievement over the past six years. Our reaction to PI will allow us to make even greater strides in the years ahead. Here is my previous explanation of PI:
The Bush administration touted their educational legislation, called "No Child Left Behind." The plan had a laudable goal of ensuring that 100% of students will be proficient by 2014. This means that every student in every school, even those that are still learning English, such as new immigrants, or those who have special needs, must be proficient or a school is deemed failing.
In order to get there, California's standards for Adequate Yearly Progress require double digit gains every year. In September, Santa Clara County released county-wide STAR test results, showing continued growth by county students. Even during this trend, more schools are failing the federal Adequate Yearly Progress standard. The County Office of Education, in their press release, explained how unrealistic the goals are.
To put the Program Improvement designation into perspective, I want to repost what I wrote last September. It is important to keep in mind that our district has been making significant gains in achievement over the past six years. Our reaction to PI will allow us to make even greater strides in the years ahead. Here is my previous explanation of PI:
The Bush administration touted their educational legislation, called "No Child Left Behind." The plan had a laudable goal of ensuring that 100% of students will be proficient by 2014. This means that every student in every school, even those that are still learning English, such as new immigrants, or those who have special needs, must be proficient or a school is deemed failing.
In order to get there, California's standards for Adequate Yearly Progress require double digit gains every year. In September, Santa Clara County released county-wide STAR test results, showing continued growth by county students. Even during this trend, more schools are failing the federal Adequate Yearly Progress standard. The County Office of Education, in their press release, explained how unrealistic the goals are.
"Because the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 requires that 100 percent of students become proficient or better in math and English by the year 2014, schools now are expected to meet unprecedented double-digit improvement standards each year. A rapidly increasing number of schools and districts are unable to meet these growth marks, and therefore are placed in the Program Improvement category."
Charles Weis, the Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools explained that "the increase in the number of schools not making Adequate Yearly Progress this year might be misinterpreted as indicating that schools are performing worse. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, student scores are better than ever. However, we're at the stage now where unrealistic expectations for growth are outpacing our rate of improvement. Here's how unrealistic the national growth expectations are: There has never been an educational program that has resulted in double-digit growth each and every year. Not in this state, not in this country, not anywhere in the world."
More from SCCOE: "Weis cautioned that there could be unforeseen pitfalls to unrealistically high growth standards. "We don't want to misidentify schools as 'failing' when they have been improving," he said. "This might cause them to abandon successful methods, just because they haven't met unrealistic goals. Having high expectations is important. Having unrealistic expectations can be self-defeating." In the mass of detail that inevitably surrounds the release of the APR, Weis said it is important to remember some consistent trends: County students are doing better every year; all subgroups of students are improving, and the achievement gap is narrowing."
In Berryessa, overall district growth in the API last year was 6 points. 11 of 13 schools showed growth, 7 showed double digit growth, and 11 of 13 schools are above the state standard for exemplary. Of the remaining two, one is only 5 points shy and the other is 29 points short of exemplary status. Overall, what is even more impressive is that the district has shown this type of growth or more in each of the last six years!
Let's celebrate the achievements of Berryessa and all county schools over the past decade to make significant progress in student achievement. We will continue to focus on areas where we are still falling short. But let's also celebrate the achievements of our teachers, staff, and students in achieving tremendous growth during the past 6 years.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Searching for a New Superintendent
Last month, Dr. Marc Liebman announced his retirement as Superintendent of the Berryessa Union School District, after 6 years with the district. His retirement will be effective at the end of July.
In order to facilitate our search, the Board will contract with a search firm. The firm provides a whole host of services that districts need in order to conduct a state-wide search. First, the search firm meets with stakeholders in the community (parents, teachers, board members, etc) to craft a description of what qualifications are expected from applicants. The firm will then post the position and use their networks to find candidates locally, statewide, and nationally.
The search firm conducts all background and reference checks and makes sure the board follows appropriate interview procedures and assure confidentiality of the candidates that apply. Once the Board settles on a candidate, the firm will help negotiate the final contract. Some firms even follow up by facilitating a team-building session between the Board and new Superintendent.
The search firm conducts all background and reference checks and makes sure the board follows appropriate interview procedures and assure confidentiality of the candidates that apply. Once the Board settles on a candidate, the firm will help negotiate the final contract. Some firms even follow up by facilitating a team-building session between the Board and new Superintendent.
A search firm guarantees that all viewpoints are incorporated into the process, enables casting as wide a search as possible, and makes sure that candidates are well vetted before they are hired. Making a bad hire would cost the district far more than the cost of the search firm.
Four search firms submitted proposals to the Board. We will be interviewing those firms on Sunday, March 13, in an open session.
Our district needs to hire an excellent Superintendent to keep us focused on academic achievement and moving in the right direction. We are committed to a thorough process to find the cream of the crop. Our students deserve no less.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Difficult Budget Decisions Loom
As I have described in previous posts, Governor Brown's budget proposal would result in only minimal cuts to K-12 education in California, but only if California voters are given the opportunity to vote to extend existing tax levels and if they vote yes. This week, our Board approved a resolution urging the legislature to put the measure on the ballot so that voters have a chance to decide whether to keep the revenue stream in place to support schools and other key services.
Unfortunatly, even if the measure makes the ballot, the election will not be held until June. Since school districts are required to have a balanced budget by the end of June, we will have to proceed as if the taxes expire and we have a deficit to fill. Conservative estimates suggest that we would be short $349 per student if the tax measure fails, but some people, including the Legislative Analayst's Office, are now suggesting that the cuts could be more than twice that amount. (For the LAO's discussion of that scenario, click here.)
The next looming deadline is March 15, when certificated employees (teachers, counselors, nurses, librarians) must be notified that they may lose their jobs at the end of the year. Since we must be prepared for major cuts, it will be necessary to hand out a large number of "pink slips" again this year.
As budget planning and negotiations with our employee unions proceed, the district will have a better idea of what cuts will end up being made. In a future article, I will provide specifics of the cuts being proposed. Once again, it will be important for the public, particularly parents of our students, to comment on their priorities. What programs are more important to you - music, libraries, class size, counselors, middle school electives, etc? Over the next couple months, I will be asking for your feedback. Encourage as many people as possible to weigh in with their thoughts.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Harsh Realities
In the last post, I wrote about Governor Brown's budget proposal. The package hinges on voters approving an extension of several state taxes on a ballot measure in June. Brown is being quiet about what failure of the tax measure would mean, but it is important for school districts to be prepared for that possibility.
Last week, I attended a budget workshop presented by School Innovations and Advocacy. One of the presenters suggested that the magnitude of cuts to schools if the ballot measure fails would be so great that it may be impossible for districts to make it through next year. He suggested that the only solution might be to close schools weeks early, in March. Can anyone imagine the long-term impact such an action would have on our children and on the state of California?
Schools have implemented such drastic cuts over the past 4 years that it is hard to imagine anything left that could be removed from schools. An analysis of the Berryessa School District budget points to budget cuts of nearly $9 million in the worst-case scenario. As a Board Member, I cannot even fathom making those cuts, which amount to over 20% of our current annual budget, which has already dropped by a similar amount in recent years. We will have to spend the next couple months figuring out a way to operate at those reduced levels. One thing is clear - many would no longer recognize their neighborhood schools.
State Treasurer Bill Lockyer spoke over the weekend about the gravity of the state's budget situation and what failure of Brown's ballot measure would mean for schools. He said the only way to balance school budgets in that case would be to shut down K-12 schools 6 weeks early. He called that possibility "so awful I honestly don't know how any legislators can legitimately want to do that."
I agree. Let's make sure everyone (legislators, voters) knows what impact such a scenario would have on our schools. We can hope for the best, but must plan for the worst.
Last week, I attended a budget workshop presented by School Innovations and Advocacy. One of the presenters suggested that the magnitude of cuts to schools if the ballot measure fails would be so great that it may be impossible for districts to make it through next year. He suggested that the only solution might be to close schools weeks early, in March. Can anyone imagine the long-term impact such an action would have on our children and on the state of California?
Schools have implemented such drastic cuts over the past 4 years that it is hard to imagine anything left that could be removed from schools. An analysis of the Berryessa School District budget points to budget cuts of nearly $9 million in the worst-case scenario. As a Board Member, I cannot even fathom making those cuts, which amount to over 20% of our current annual budget, which has already dropped by a similar amount in recent years. We will have to spend the next couple months figuring out a way to operate at those reduced levels. One thing is clear - many would no longer recognize their neighborhood schools.
State Treasurer Bill Lockyer spoke over the weekend about the gravity of the state's budget situation and what failure of Brown's ballot measure would mean for schools. He said the only way to balance school budgets in that case would be to shut down K-12 schools 6 weeks early. He called that possibility "so awful I honestly don't know how any legislators can legitimately want to do that."
I agree. Let's make sure everyone (legislators, voters) knows what impact such a scenario would have on our schools. We can hope for the best, but must plan for the worst.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Governor Brown's Budget: Good for Schools?
Earlier this week, Governor Jerry Brown released his budget blueprint. After years of terrible cuts to California schools and other services, the state still faces a monstrous deficit of $25 billion over the next 18 months. In order to bridge that gap, Brown proposes a budget that relies on 50% program cuts and 50% revenue solutions.
Another part of the Governor's proposal would extend budget flexibility for two more years. This is important, because the Berryessa School District has saved nearly $2 million this year based on categorical program flexibility, reduced requirements for routine and deferred maintenance budgets, postponing instructional material adoption, and increasing class size.
While we will work hard to support the extension of the existing tax levels, we must prepare for the worst case scenario, which may mean budget cuts of $5 million or more. Therefore, the district will have to prepare two budgets this spring, one that assumes the tax measures pass, and one that would be implemented if they fail.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Thanks to Measure W
In 2008, the Board decided that the district should go to the voters for a local source of funding in order to supplement what we get from the state. At the time, we knew that tough times were coming and it would be crucial for us to raise local revenue so that we could continue to provide services to our students.
After conducting a scientific poll of Berryessa School District voters, the Board felt that a parcel tax of of $79 per parcel was likely to pass. The poll also helped us define the funding categories that would be listed as possible uses of the funds. In no particular order, these were: Attracting and retaining qualified teachers; Keeping school libraries open; Keeping classroom technology up-to-date; Maintaining reading/math tutoring; Providing hands-on science instruction; and Funding programs that enhance student achievement.
At our December 14 meeting, the Board officially allocated the programs from the 2010-2011 budget that are supported by Measure W funds. Without Measure W, the district would have been unable to sustain these programs.
• Maintaining a K-3 Class Size of 24:1 ($1,300,090) - Without Measure W, K-3 class size would have likely increased to more than 24:1.
• Music Programs ($69,000) - The district was able to continue our full elementary music program, starting in 3rd grade.
• Support for the "Step Up To Algebra Program" ($15,000) - The district uses Measure W funds to support a summer program that helps our students prepare for algebra in 8th grade.
• Calibration and Scoring of District Writing Sample ($10,000) - The district provides release time for middle school English teachers to assess student performance.
• Support for Libraries ($121,000) - The district has added a full time librarian and pays for 25% of our library media tech salaries out of Measure W funds.
• Counselor/Social Worker Position ($71,500) - Measure W funds allow the district to minimize the effect of having to eliminate counseling positions due to budget cuts.
• Support for School Participation in the BEST Program ($9,500) - The parcel tax money helps pay for teachers to attend the school-wide discipline and anti-bullying program.
• On-going Costs of Upgrading Student Used Technology ($97,000) - The district recently upgraded our technology infrastructure. Measure W helped pay for a fraction of that project.
After conducting a scientific poll of Berryessa School District voters, the Board felt that a parcel tax of of $79 per parcel was likely to pass. The poll also helped us define the funding categories that would be listed as possible uses of the funds. In no particular order, these were: Attracting and retaining qualified teachers; Keeping school libraries open; Keeping classroom technology up-to-date; Maintaining reading/math tutoring; Providing hands-on science instruction; and Funding programs that enhance student achievement.
At our December 14 meeting, the Board officially allocated the programs from the 2010-2011 budget that are supported by Measure W funds. Without Measure W, the district would have been unable to sustain these programs.
• Maintaining a K-3 Class Size of 24:1 ($1,300,090) - Without Measure W, K-3 class size would have likely increased to more than 24:1.
• Music Programs ($69,000) - The district was able to continue our full elementary music program, starting in 3rd grade.
• Support for the "Step Up To Algebra Program" ($15,000) - The district uses Measure W funds to support a summer program that helps our students prepare for algebra in 8th grade.
• Calibration and Scoring of District Writing Sample ($10,000) - The district provides release time for middle school English teachers to assess student performance.
• Support for Libraries ($121,000) - The district has added a full time librarian and pays for 25% of our library media tech salaries out of Measure W funds.
• Counselor/Social Worker Position ($71,500) - Measure W funds allow the district to minimize the effect of having to eliminate counseling positions due to budget cuts.
• Support for School Participation in the BEST Program ($9,500) - The parcel tax money helps pay for teachers to attend the school-wide discipline and anti-bullying program.
• On-going Costs of Upgrading Student Used Technology ($97,000) - The district recently upgraded our technology infrastructure. Measure W helped pay for a fraction of that project.
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