No New School Cuts Next Year

No new budget cuts for the next school year. This was the word from Superintendent at Tuesday’s meeting, in response to Gov. Jerry Brown’s which was released Monday and had reassuring news for education. 

“It would be imprudent for us at this time to consider a target amount of reductions,” Stephenson said at the meeting, where an anticipatory group of teachers, staff and parents stayed late for the budget discussion. 

“At this point we’re going to build a budget based on flat funding, based on what the governor has proposed,” she said.

Stephenson and Assistant Superintendent Laurie Harden, the district’s finance manager, acknowledged the uncertainty in Brown’s budget, which assumes tax extensions which haven’t yet been approved.

But with planning necessary now for the 2011-12 school year, the district’s most responsible course is to proceed on the assumption Brown’s budget will prevail, Stephenson said.

If it doesn’t, and state funds are reduced at the last minute, the district will use its reserve for next year rather than make cuts, she said.

“We’ll build a budget based on what we’ve been allocated all along. We’ll keep a close eye on Sacramento,” Stephenson said.

“It really has placed the entire state in a very difficult situation because we’re all looking for the crystal ball,” Harden said.  “It certainly looks better than what we thought, but there are a lot of contingences.”

The news was met with a mixture of quiet disbelief and applause.

“I thought I was going to come here tonight and say, 'No, no, no, you’re not going to do this,'” said Jim Brandley, a fifth grade teacher at . 

Brandley also thanked the room for their support at protesting school cuts, which he said he thinks influenced the governor. “I think it really helped everyone in California.”

School board member  praised the administration for its decision. “Maintaining our program should be our priority; we have the luxury of having a very large reserve. I know it’s there for cash flow but I think this is a wise way to proceed.”

According to a mid-year budget report, the district has about a 12.3 percent reserve of almost $5 million. 

Brown’s May Revise budget brought reassurance to school districts, with the news that half of the state’s projected unexpected $6.6 billion in revenues will go to schools.

In the revised plan, K-12 education would get $3 billion more than budgeted in January, or $52.4 billion dollars, because of Proposition 98, a law that directs a minimum percentage of state general fund revenues toward public education.

However, this “good news” budget hinges on some uncertainty, as it assumes the extension of certain temporary taxes.

Brown suggested when discussing the budget that he’s optimistic the extensions will get approved. To date, no Republican legislators have agreed with them, but several have expressed support for an education-friendly budget.

“The Republicans I’m talking to are providing encouraging words about putting (the tax extensions) on the ballot,” Gov. Brown said at a Monday press conference. “I’m talking to anyone I think is a plausible vote."

Brown needs two-thirds of the legislature to agree to either pass the tax extensions or to put a ballot about taxes before voters.

Stephenson had forecast that the  , or $330 a student, after it became evident the tax extensions were not going to go before voters in a June election.

Assistant Superintendent Harden said that if the tax extensions aren't approved, schools could face draconian cuts in 2012-13, and should be prepared.

"Basically they have given us a one-year reprieve, " she said. 

Everybody makes mistakes ... ! If there's something in this article you think should be corrected, or if something else is amiss, call editor Emilie Raguso at 510-459-8325 or email her at emilier@patch.com.