June 18, 2009
VUSD avoids additional layoffs, taps one-time money to balance budget
School officials in Vista decided Thursday that they could avoid additional layoffs for next year, largely because theVistaUnifiedSchool District recently got $2.8 million more than expected in federal stimulus money.
"You’ve made a lot of people very happy tonight," Bill Faust, president of the district’s union for support staff, told the board at its regular meeting Thursday.
In order to close a $15.6 million budget gap for this school year and next, the school board agreed to spend nearly $12 million in one-time federal funds as well as dipping into some savings, cutting back on maintenance and increasing some class sizes.
At a meeting last week, the board discussed a long list of possible cuts, including laying off employeess, cutting salaries, shortening the school year, eliminating busing, increasing class sizes and reducing extracurricular activities. Thursday’s vote to close the gap mostly with federal money made those cuts unnecessary, for now.
"I’m pleased to say things have changed," said Donna Caperton, chief business officer.
Starting next year, the district plans to increase class sizes in kindergarten through third grade from 20 students to as many as 22. This will allow the district to save an estimated $1 million by dismissing some teachers on temporary, year-to-year contracts but won't require any permanent teachers be laid off.
Though school officials and employees were pleased with the news that there wouldn’t be additional pink slips, Caperton warned that big cuts will still be needed for the 2010-11 school year, when the one-time federal money will be gone.
"We’ve bought our employees a year," Caperton said. "We can avoid the cuts ... but the 2010-11 budget is horrendous."
In 2010-11, the district officials expect to spend $194 million, $8 million less than they expect in revenues. In addition, ever-increasing costs ---- such as benefits, utilities and salaries ---- probably will bring the budget deficit to $12.5 million, Caperton said.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed large cuts to education funding as the state struggles with its own estimated $24 billion budget deficit.
The board will officially approve next year’s operating budget at a meeting June 25.
District officials plan to spend roughly $194 million next year, down $17 million from the $211 million they expect to spend this year.
Also at Thursday’s meeting, district officials decided to wait on a decision about whether to continue using the Lindamood-Bell reading program. The district started using the program three years ago to help some struggling students learn to read. School officials are working with the company that administers the program to reduce the contract price, Deputy Superintendent Sandy Gecewicz said.
Before the meeting, district officials said they expected to pay the company $185,000 to use the program. The plan was to also spend nearly $1 million to pay 21 employees to run the program at seven sites, including six elementary schools and a districtwide clinic.
Board members last discussed whether or not to continue using the program in March. They agreed to leave it up to each school site. Gecewicz said the plan will be brought back before the board at a future meeting.
Call NCTimes staff writer Stacy Brandt at 760-901-4009.
return to www.vistata.org
"You’ve made a lot of people very happy tonight," Bill Faust, president of the district’s union for support staff, told the board at its regular meeting Thursday.
In order to close a $15.6 million budget gap for this school year and next, the school board agreed to spend nearly $12 million in one-time federal funds as well as dipping into some savings, cutting back on maintenance and increasing some class sizes.
At a meeting last week, the board discussed a long list of possible cuts, including laying off employeess, cutting salaries, shortening the school year, eliminating busing, increasing class sizes and reducing extracurricular activities. Thursday’s vote to close the gap mostly with federal money made those cuts unnecessary, for now.
"I’m pleased to say things have changed," said Donna Caperton, chief business officer.
Starting next year, the district plans to increase class sizes in kindergarten through third grade from 20 students to as many as 22. This will allow the district to save an estimated $1 million by dismissing some teachers on temporary, year-to-year contracts but won't require any permanent teachers be laid off.
Though school officials and employees were pleased with the news that there wouldn’t be additional pink slips, Caperton warned that big cuts will still be needed for the 2010-11 school year, when the one-time federal money will be gone.
"We’ve bought our employees a year," Caperton said. "We can avoid the cuts ... but the 2010-11 budget is horrendous."
In 2010-11, the district officials expect to spend $194 million, $8 million less than they expect in revenues. In addition, ever-increasing costs ---- such as benefits, utilities and salaries ---- probably will bring the budget deficit to $12.5 million, Caperton said.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed large cuts to education funding as the state struggles with its own estimated $24 billion budget deficit.
The board will officially approve next year’s operating budget at a meeting June 25.
District officials plan to spend roughly $194 million next year, down $17 million from the $211 million they expect to spend this year.
Also at Thursday’s meeting, district officials decided to wait on a decision about whether to continue using the Lindamood-Bell reading program. The district started using the program three years ago to help some struggling students learn to read. School officials are working with the company that administers the program to reduce the contract price, Deputy Superintendent Sandy Gecewicz said.
Before the meeting, district officials said they expected to pay the company $185,000 to use the program. The plan was to also spend nearly $1 million to pay 21 employees to run the program at seven sites, including six elementary schools and a districtwide clinic.
Board members last discussed whether or not to continue using the program in March. They agreed to leave it up to each school site. Gecewicz said the plan will be brought back before the board at a future meeting.
Call NCTimes staff writer Stacy Brandt at 760-901-4009.
return to www.vistata.org