School Board Budget Committee Notes
School Board Budget Committee Notes
4.19.06
By Nicole Achs Freeling
GreatSchools.net Correspondent
The Budget Committee recommended using Prop H funds to pay for across-the-board teacher pay raises the BOE agreed to last week to settle a contract battle with its teachers and paraprofessionals. Funding the salary increases would take the place of $2.3 million that had been allocated for middle school counselors and a broad range of high school programs.
The Committee also asked staff to explore whether the funds allocated to add additional librarians this year at the elementary school level might instead be directed to high schools, to make up for the Prop H funds that will be diverted toward teacher pay.
The Board approved a Prop H spending plan submitted by a Community Advisory Council earlier this year that included allocations for $6.6 million for funding sports, libraries arts and music and another $6.6 for funding a broader range of programs at the discretion of individual schools, particularly high schools. Certain portions of the plan were tentative based on the outcome of negotiations with various bargaining units, including United Educators of San Francisco.
The revised Prop H plan would make the following changes to the one approved by the Board earlier this year:
Committee Considers Close to $6 Million. in Cuts
Anticipating a budget gap of just under $7 million for the coming school year, district staff presented a proposal for possible cuts. It included:
"We're cutting off limbs and vital organs now," Commissioner Jill Wynns observed.
In order to give the district and schools the greatest possible time to adapt to the cuts, the Committee will ask the full board to vote on them as soon as possible, rather than waiting until the entire budget is voted on in June.
Committee Recommends K-8 Plan for Bessie Carmichael
By a 2-to-1 vote, the Committee endorsed a proposal to expand Bessie Carmichael, a K-6 school located in the South of Market, to a K-8 program. Doing so will cost the district $650,000 in one-time facilities upgrade and textbook expenses and ongoing expenses of $270,000.
The board has expressed a desire to create K-8 programs, which have been very popular on the west side of the city, among more east side schools. Several members of the public appeared to urge the board to expand Bessie Carmichael. SOMA currently has no middle school and, as most schools in the district are K-5, SOMA's graduating sixth graders face difficulty finding open seventh grade slots at the district's more desirable schools.
The Committee discussed with staff how such an expansion might be funded. The project could be funded by Developer Fees, a portion of the district budget earmarked for building improvements. Currently much of that money is going to improve disability access and ADA compliance, according to Chief Financial Officer Joe Grazioli, who said there were few other sources for funding such work. "Either we can spend (the fees) on ADA work or on Bessie Carmichael," he said.
The district might also qualify to receive funding for the project from impact and mitigation fees paid to the city for large development projects in the South of Market. The neighborhood has seen the city's greatest influx of development in recent years, with more than 11,000 housing units added since 1999, according to Chris Durazo, community planning director for the South of Market Community Action Network. "We would like our fair share," she said. "We have been contributing tremendous impact fees for the city. Those are supposed to go to provide services for people who live in the (affected) area."
"I know it's difficult sitting in Budget Committee and adding expenses, but I think we have to bite the bullet here and do this," said Commissioner Norman Yee, who endorsed the proposal along with Commissioner Eric Mar. Commissioner Wynns voted against it, saying she could not endorse adding expenses at a time the district's deficit is growing.
Email comments to sfschoolnotes@greatschools.net
4.19.06
By Nicole Achs Freeling
GreatSchools.net Correspondent
- Prop H Funds Proposed for Salary Increases
- Committee Considers Close to $6 Million in Cuts
- Committee Recommends K-8 Plan for Bessie Carmichael
The Budget Committee recommended using Prop H funds to pay for across-the-board teacher pay raises the BOE agreed to last week to settle a contract battle with its teachers and paraprofessionals. Funding the salary increases would take the place of $2.3 million that had been allocated for middle school counselors and a broad range of high school programs.
The Committee also asked staff to explore whether the funds allocated to add additional librarians this year at the elementary school level might instead be directed to high schools, to make up for the Prop H funds that will be diverted toward teacher pay.
The Board approved a Prop H spending plan submitted by a Community Advisory Council earlier this year that included allocations for $6.6 million for funding sports, libraries arts and music and another $6.6 for funding a broader range of programs at the discretion of individual schools, particularly high schools. Certain portions of the plan were tentative based on the outcome of negotiations with various bargaining units, including United Educators of San Francisco.
The revised Prop H plan would make the following changes to the one approved by the Board earlier this year:
- It would eliminate $1 million in funding for additional middle and high school counselors.
- It would eliminate $1.3 million in high school site allocations to be used for items including: violence and truancy prevention, custodians, nurses, counselors, librarians, art teachers and support for low-income students to take AP test.
- It would add $2.3 million to fund its commitment under the tentative agreement with UESF.
Committee Considers Close to $6 Million. in Cuts
Anticipating a budget gap of just under $7 million for the coming school year, district staff presented a proposal for possible cuts. It included:
- A 1 percent reduction in the Weighted Student Formula, for cuts totaling $2 million.
- $500,000 in reductions to the central office.
- $1,200 less for special education
- $800,000 less for transportation
- $800,000 less for child development centers
- $500,000 less for student nutrition.
"We're cutting off limbs and vital organs now," Commissioner Jill Wynns observed.
In order to give the district and schools the greatest possible time to adapt to the cuts, the Committee will ask the full board to vote on them as soon as possible, rather than waiting until the entire budget is voted on in June.
Committee Recommends K-8 Plan for Bessie Carmichael
By a 2-to-1 vote, the Committee endorsed a proposal to expand Bessie Carmichael, a K-6 school located in the South of Market, to a K-8 program. Doing so will cost the district $650,000 in one-time facilities upgrade and textbook expenses and ongoing expenses of $270,000.
The board has expressed a desire to create K-8 programs, which have been very popular on the west side of the city, among more east side schools. Several members of the public appeared to urge the board to expand Bessie Carmichael. SOMA currently has no middle school and, as most schools in the district are K-5, SOMA's graduating sixth graders face difficulty finding open seventh grade slots at the district's more desirable schools.
The Committee discussed with staff how such an expansion might be funded. The project could be funded by Developer Fees, a portion of the district budget earmarked for building improvements. Currently much of that money is going to improve disability access and ADA compliance, according to Chief Financial Officer Joe Grazioli, who said there were few other sources for funding such work. "Either we can spend (the fees) on ADA work or on Bessie Carmichael," he said.
The district might also qualify to receive funding for the project from impact and mitigation fees paid to the city for large development projects in the South of Market. The neighborhood has seen the city's greatest influx of development in recent years, with more than 11,000 housing units added since 1999, according to Chris Durazo, community planning director for the South of Market Community Action Network. "We would like our fair share," she said. "We have been contributing tremendous impact fees for the city. Those are supposed to go to provide services for people who live in the (affected) area."
"I know it's difficult sitting in Budget Committee and adding expenses, but I think we have to bite the bullet here and do this," said Commissioner Norman Yee, who endorsed the proposal along with Commissioner Eric Mar. Commissioner Wynns voted against it, saying she could not endorse adding expenses at a time the district's deficit is growing.
Email comments to sfschoolnotes@greatschools.net
Labels: Nutrition, School Board Notes, SFUSD Politics
2 Comments:
It looks like the s--t is really hitting the fan now!
Although this account of the meeting is generally accurate, it's completely wrong in characterizing Prop H money as coming from the state. Prop H money comes from the general fund of the City and County of San Francisco.
--Terry Abad
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