By Sara Ballenger
The Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District has been feeling the effects of the state budget crisis, with teacher layoffs and potential budget cuts for next year that could reach $2.5 million.
At the center of this budget crisis is Governor Gray Davis’ proposal to eliminate Basic Aid funding from the state over a three-year period. According to 21st District Assemblyman Joe Simitian’s office, the bill was expected to be voted on by the Budget Subcommittee of Education Finance in the state senate yesterday, after the Town Crier deadline. Look for an update in our April 30 issue.
A Basic Aid District receives a basic amount of general funding from the state, since the local property tax revenue within the district exceeds what could be provided under other state funding formulas.
With the state facing a $30 billion budget deficit, eliminating Basic Aid would save the state an estimated $17.1 million, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
If Basic Aid were eliminated and other proposed cuts made, the district stands to lose around $12.5 million or one-third of its revenue.
According to Superintendent Rich Fischer, over 83 percent of the district’s total budget is spent on employee salaries, benefits and associated costs. If the state were to phase out Basic Aid, the district’s educational program could be devastated.
“Schools are going to have a very difficult time making cuts if they do take away Basic Aid, and it’s quite likely the district would go into receivership, which is not the same as bankruptcy, but the state takes over the school district,” said Associate Superintendent for Personnel and Technology, Steve Hope. “If we were to plan for a $12 million cut after the elimination of Basic Aid, we have 153 teachers and we would have to lay off 79 full-time equivalents; we have 135 classified staff and would have to lay off 45 full-time equivalents nad about four administrators.”
While the future of the Basic Aid benefits to school districts rests in the hands of state legislators, Hope is focusing on the $2.5 million cut, which is needed, independent of the Basic Aid decision at the state level.
The distict’s budget advisory committe gave Fischer a list of recommended cuts at its April 10 meeting to review. Those items were divided into three levels cuts.
“We know we at least need to make the first round and some of the second round of cuts,” Fischer said. “We are not sure if we will have to do the third round of cuts.”
The first round of cuts are as follows: substitute teacher costs for $70,286; overtime compensation for $69,400; conference and travel time for $76,000; public relations for $20,000; postpone building the new Alta Vista High School for one yar to capture developer fees to repay the general fund for $300,000; board costs for $15,000; telephone costs for $10,000; shift all costs possible to grants for $200,000; eating disorder program bill back for $20,000 and reduce County Community School for $49,500.
Fischer has scheduled a budget study session with the Board of Trustees, April 28, where he plans to present his recommendations for budget cuts.
“The board will vote on what parts of superintendent’s recommendation to adopt or not and that will give the administration direction as to w hat we need to do next,” Hope said. “The board is really makes the final decision on what will be cut.”
The April 28 board meeting of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District is scheduled for 7 p.m., April 28, District Office Board Room, 1299 Bryant Ave., Mountain View. For more information, call the district office at 940-4650.
