By Joani Gillam
The Manhattan Beach Unified School District school board announced plans for the 2011-12 school year budget at the board meeting on Feb. 2.
The budget plans will be largely determined by whether the California voters vote for tax extensions in the June 6 elections. Once the extensions are voted on, the board will announce its final budget for 2011-12. If they are not passed, the board will have approximately $2.3 million less in funds for next year’s budget.
“It’s a moving target, but we have to prepare for the worst and plan ahead. We try to adopt a budget that assumes the state monies don’t pass,” MBUSD Superintendent Dr. Michael Matthews said.
Since 2005, the board has been making cuts and laying off teachers as a result of budget deficits. This year and next, the board hopes to make a smaller amount of cuts, using reserve funds acquired over previous years.
“The last two years have been difficult, but it would be nice to not have to give out any pink slips this year. We’d get to keep all the wonderful talent that our teachers express everyday in the classrooms,” Matthews said.
In addition to the tax extensions, economic changes between now and the approval of the budget could cause the budget to increase or decrease, which would result in more revisions to the proposed plan.
The board is discussing the possibility of making reductions in district energy uses and removing the position of teacher on special assignment. Overall, these cuts would save the district about $245,000 per year.
“We are planning for the worst case scenario, and that way our budget situation can only improve,” MBUSD board President Bill Fournell said.
If the state budget crisis continues to worsen, MBUSD plans to make a number of changes. In this scenario, the district would increase the K-5 student to teacher ratio from 25:1 to 29:1 and increase the 6-12 ratio from 29:1 to 31:1. In total, this would save the district about $1.7 million. Nevertheless, up to 26 full time equivalents would still need to be cut.
“If the unthinkable happens, and the state budget crisis gets much worse, the board is willing to start making necessary layoffs and reductions,” Matthews said, “But, we all do not like pink slips, and it would be so beneficial if we could avoid that situation altogether.”
The board believes that this year’s financial position is much better than it has been in the past. In recent years, the board has been very conservative in its spending in order to maintain a surplus of funds for following years.
“It is great decision-making that has gotten us to where we are today. We were very proactive, and it is finally paying off in present times,” MBUSD board member Penny Bordokas said.
The Manhattan Beach Education Foundation has been instrumental in raising extra funds for the school district in order to maintain many programs and positions. Although the board only planned on receiving $3 million from MBEF this year, over $4 million has been collected.
MBEF’s contributions currently fund many programs, such as school libraries, elementary specialists, class-size reductions and the Mira Costa Music Department. Its donations will continue to fund similar programs in the coming year.
“MBEF is one of the characteristics that makes our district so unique. Everyone in the community has really stepped up to help out,” Matthews said.
Overall, the board is extremely optimistic about its plans for next year’s budget.
“We have been fiscally prudent and had amazing fund raising. We made intelligent decisions and are now in a great position for next year,” Matthews said.
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