History of IDEA
Jeannie Oakes, Founder and Former Director
Youth Voice in School Finance
NEW REPORT: Los Angeles' road to A-G for all
Without Dollars and Sense Powerpoint
Past Educational Opportunity Reports
Brown's Countdown, Day 106: School districts face $11 billion question on next year's budget
- 04-25-2011
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By Kevin Yamamura/Sacramento Bee
The way Steven Ladd describes planning next year's Elk Grove Unified budget sounds a bit like composing a Farmers' Almanac forecast. "We look at the nature of what's taking place with the budget, the nature of the economy, the nature of what people are prognosticating," said Ladd, the district superintendent. "You have to keep an eye on what's taking place in the Legislature – or lack thereof." K-12 schools have imposed cuts the past three years, relying heavily on layoffs and shortening the school year. Federal stimulus funds have run dry. But school budget veterans say projecting this year is even more difficult because Gov. Jerry Brown is counting on $11.2 billion in voter-approved taxes to spare schools from cuts, a huge contingency. Republicans have blocked that proposal so far. Districts typically prepare for a worst-case scenario while the budget remains in limbo, but few people agree on what that might be. Orange County school districts are planning for a cut of $349 per student. Elk Grove assumed a cut of $679 per pupil. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office says a worst-case scenario might be $750 per student – or $22,500 in a 30-student classroom. (more...)
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