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.
Posts
