Budget Update

State Budget Crisis Hurts Schools... Again
Barbara Wilson, Ph.D.

February 8, 2010
Despite his promise to "protect education", Governor Schwarzeneggar has once again proposed a budget that will continue to cut school funding, even deeper than the cuts that have already been taken. For the remainder of this year and next year, his proposal is to cut approximately $525 per student. In the Pittsburg Unified School District, that amounts to nearly a $5 million cut from the prior year.
Over the last two years our Board has taken steps to maintain a balanced budget. They included:
• Eliminating 9 administrative positions
• Shifting expenses of 3 administrators to grant funded positions
• Eliminating 3.5 counseling positions
• Increasing first through third grade class size to 25:1
• Reduction of one day of staff development for teachers and administrators
• Elimination of elementary summer school and decreased junior high summer school
• Eliminating preschool transportation and decreasing bus routes
• Decrease in Adult Education classes
• Reducing energy consumption
• Renegotiating rental property for increased revenue
• Reducing textbook purchases
• Renegotiating and lowering costs with several vendors
• Reducing translation services
• Reduction in gardening services
Unlike the State, school districts must adopt balanced budgets every June, not only for this year, but also for an additional two years. That means that our school board must arrive at decisions that will impact students and employees through 2013. The District must find ways to reduce a potential $13 million projected deficit by 2013.
These are weighty issues. In order to help them, the District has a budget advisory committee that is meeting weekly. Committee members represent our labor associations, administrators and a subcommittee of the school board. These members ask questions, brainstorm ideas, analyze fiscal data and prepare a list of proposals for consideration.
The Board will have budget discussions at every Board meeting through June. One Board meeting, April 14, will be solely devoted to budget prioritization. Despite these drastic measures, we are committed to increasing upon the gains that we have made in student achievement. The professionals that work with our students maintain their resolve to provide the best possible education program to students despite fewer resources that are provided during these difficult times.
Respectfully,
Barbara B. Wilson, Ph.D., Superintendent