After adopting a “stable” budget last week, the Manhattan Beach Unified School Board voted to bring back a baseline form of some popular programs that had been cut, reinstating about 10 fulltime positions.
After losing $4.7 million in revenues since February, the school board was forced to lay off more than 80 teachers and classified employees for next year and eliminate popular programs like class size reduction and elementary P.E. specialists.
But through the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation’s emergency appeal, which raised $1.3 million, the city’s $1.3 million donation and the receipt of federal stimulus money totaling $1.7 million, the schools lowered their end-of-year deficit to $400,000 for 2008-09, said Assistant Superintendent Steve Romines.
In the adopted 2009-10 budget, the projected revenues total a little over $51 million, while expenditures were trimmed down to nearly $49 million after cutting more than $4 million in salaries and benefits, Romines said.
While the beginning fund balance for 2009-10 will be nearly $4 million, the schools must set aside nearly $2 million for a required economic uncertainty fund.
“(The budget) isn’t strong by any means but it is definitely stable,” Romines said. “We will be one of the most stable districts. Districts are really beginning to struggle with the second year out being positive.”
To gain positive certification from the state, schools must adopt a balanced budget for the upcoming school year and two years out.
“As for being positively certified, this budget works really well,” he said.
Forty percent of the state’s school districts are expected to not be certified next year, he said.
After receiving the positive budget news, the school board voted to bring back a baseline form of elementary library media, science and reading specialists. The board also reinstated the middle school library media specialist and the Mira Costa High School librarian and computer lab specialist. Though the programs will be restored in a reduced form, or a few hours per day for most schools, it allows about 10 full time positions to be reinstated.
“I’m ecstatic,” said Monica Wood, the Grandview Elementary School P.E. specialist.
The reinstated programs will cost the district about $520,000.
School board Vice President Ida Vanderpoorte convinced the board to also expand the college prep course AVID at Mira Costa to grades 10-12. The program had been reduced to exclusively incoming seniors when the board made cuts in March.
At a prior school board meeting, the board adopted a plan for “reasonable class size” in grades K-5 and ninth grade English at an annual cost of $491,000. They also reinstated 3.6 full time equivalent counselors at Manhattan Beach Middle School and Mira Costa at a cost of nearly $300,000.
“We’re doing the best we can with the numbers we have,” said School Board President Nancy Hersman last week.
Romines said the reinstated programs may have to be taken out next year or in following years to ensure the budget stays balanced. The budget can be revised on July 15 and Sept. 15 if need be, he said.
At last week’s board meeting PTA Council President Edie Babbe said the PTA will annually give the elementary schools $100 per student or $280,000 in total to augment the reinstated programs. Each school will decide which program they want to expand, but the money can not be used for programs that have not been reinstated.
Erika White, vice president of fundraising for the Education Foundation, said the foundation will commit to a $4.1 million fundraising goal for next year as well.
Superintendent Bev Rohrer said there is a very strong possibility that the schools will receive an extra 100 students next year, thus increasing their revenues tied to Average Daily Attendance.
Romines said more stimulus money could also come in at the end of 2009-10 to cover state mandated programs.
The crowded audience cheered for Romines after the budget presentation.
“Now, just make it happen,” Rohrer said, laughing. ER