|
To Our Subscribers
|
The Board of Education is committed to ensuring that our parents, community and partners are fully informed on all district matters.
Through the use of our electronic newsletter, we are able to communicate more effectively and frequently than ever before while at the same time being mindful of our precious resources to do so: time, talent, and money.
Thank you for being a part of our flow of information. If at anytime you change your email or your preferences (such as which e-newsletters you would like to receive throughout our district), please click on the "Update Profile and Email Address" link at the bottom of this email.
| |
News of the District
February 19, 2009 |
|
Budget Up-Date
Where We Are and Where We Are Headed
 How Did We Get Here?
SMUSD is preparing for an unprecedented $5 million shortfall for 2009-2010 as a direct result of the state's current economic climate. How did we get here? That is a question to be debated by politicians and economists for years to come. It's impacts however, have had severe and direct results in our world class school system.
Last spring, California, in an attempt to band-aid its ailing budget, announced cuts with significant reductions in the education budgets. As part of these cuts, the state also delivered a very clear message to state agencies; "there would be more to come". As a direct result of these cuts, SMUSD faced an immediate $1.6 million budget deficit for the 2008-2009 school year, a revenue loss that would have a dramatic impact on the education our children receive. The School Board took two actions:
- The Board of Education asked the San Marino Schools Foundation to launch a Save Our Schools Campaign to cover the projected shortfall and, gratefully, San Marino Schools opened in August 2008 with 100% of our programs unscathed by the struggling economy. We have often repeated that these funds are "one-time monies". But what does that mean? "One-time monies" mean that the funds raised during the SOS Campaign, all $1.6 million, was only useful one time, to fill the specific gap. To continue the educational opportunities provided by these funds into future years would require an ongoing effort to raise this money.
- The Board of Education felt strongly that the district needed a more stable financial footing. While the funds raised by the Schools Foundation are very important to the district, the foundation is not the right source of ongoing funds for educational infrastructure. In a second action, the board seated a Financial Advisory Task Force to study and make recommendations for a course of action to more permanently resolve the impact caused by the state's poor financial health. In June of 2008, citing the success of our students, the strength of the educational offerings and the link between the schools' success and property values in San Marino, the Financial Advisory Task Force recommended that district seriously pursue an incremental parcel tax. The board adopted this recommendation and asked Nam Jack to lead the effort. The timing of this recommendation, decision and plan for implementation has placed SMUSD in a very unique position. SMUSD appears to be the only local school district with a plan in place to deal with what has become the greatest financial challenge ever faced by California schools.
Federal Economic Stimulus Plan
On
Tuesday, February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the unprecedented
Federal Economic Stimulus Package, which allocates billions of dollars
to California. Although there is much talk in the media of the benefit
of these dollars for public education, the money is targeted for:
low-income districts, school construction projects, and special
education. The Federal stimulus proposal is expected to net SMUSD
$250,000. While we are grateful for any help we can get, the State is
also considering using federal dollars to supplant any allocated State
dollars. This would make the Federal Stimulus Package a wash for
SMUSD.
Our Budget Projections Today
Today, February 19, 2009, at approximately 6 a.m. state lawmakers approved a state budget. We are working overtime to figure out the specifics of this new budget. It appears the new budget supports our earlier assumptions of a $5M deficit.
There are three primary elements, which in combination, bring us to a $5 million budget deficit for 2009-10:
· $1.6 million gap created by 2008-09 state funding cuts: We successfully raised and used $1.6 million in "one-time monies" to protect and preserve our entire program for 2008-09. The hole reappears for 2009-10.
· Mid-Year Reductions: Part of Governor Schwarzenegger's proposal to reconcile the state budget problem is to take away $1 million from our current budget cycle. This is money that has already been agreed upon and which we have already factored into our current-year budget.
· "Reduction" in our base level of funding by 16.16%.
The Go-Forward Plan
In anticipation of the finalized state budget, SMUSD created a balanced budget, including a $5M reduction in funds. Although we have had very positive feedback from our community about our parcel tax plans, until the parcel tax is approved by voters, we must show the Los Angeles County Office of Education a balanced budget without consideration of any additional funds from the proposed parcel tax. And, the district must move forward with the legally required steps to affect the reductions contained in the reduced budget.
By California Education Code, the District must provide notice to any Certificated Employee (teachers) that would be released from service based on our current budget projections on March 15th . On Monday, February 23 at 7:30pm (District Board Room) the Board of Education will discuss and take action on the proposed list of certificated cuts for 2009-2010, including positions and programs throughout our district. Following the meeting on Monday night, we will release an email to the community with information on the list of certificated cuts. A second round of cuts will also occur subsequently in the area of our classified staff (teachers' aids, clerical support, walk-on coaches, custodial, maintenance, landscaping, and cafeteria workers). By law, classified employees must be given 45 days notice, so their notification date may occur later in the budget cycle.
Leading economy experts are certain it will be 3-5 years before we begin to emerge from the current recession. After extensive research and consideration, the Board felt that the community would support a parcel tax to protect the schools of San Marino. On February 3, 2009, the Board of Education passed a resolution to call an election for an incremental parcel tax of $795, which would provide a stable funding source to address the on-going budget deficit left by the state crisis. This parcel tax would provide the district with $4M of the lost $5M in state revenue. The $1M difference will be addressed through retirement savings and other appropriate expense reductions. The Parcel Tax Committee led by Mrs. Nam Jack will begin to campaign for the passage of Measure E. The election is scheduled for May 5, 2009, and will be a mail-in ballot election. Registered voters will receive their ballots in the mail beginning the first week of April. Ballots must be received at the L.A. County Recorders Office in Norwalk by May 5, 2009, to be counted.
|
Email Database
Up-Dates in Progress
In 2004, SMUSD began using Constant Contact to power our email newsletter service throughout our district. Today, our email database consists of over 7,800 emails in over 35 different Interest Groups between all of our school sites, grade levels and co-curricular activities.
Over the next few weeks we will be going through the entire email database with a fine-tooth comb and deleting email addresses which appear to be non-existent. If you notice that you abruptly cease getting any of the newsletters you usually receive, please re-sign yourself up again by clicking on the "Join Our Mailing List" link in the left-hand column of this email or by using our district website newsletter registration page.
When up-dating email addresses, please use the "Update Profile/Email Address" link at the bottom of every newsletter so that old email addresses are deleted as your new email address becomes active.
Thank you for your participation in our electronic communications. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Karen Preston.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
