Budget fears influence school board decision on eighth-grade science requirements
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

Barely three weeks into the new year, the state budget conundrum has already taken a toll on Simi Valley Unified School District.

Based on the recommendation of district staff members, the Simi Valley school board on Tuesday unanimously agreed to table a resolution that would have required eighth-grade students to enroll in a full year of science starting in the 2008-09 school year. As it stands now, parents of eighth-graders can choose either one year or one semester of science instruction for their children.

Despite a desire by the board to better prepare middle school students for standardized science testing once they reach high school, trustees and the district thought it wise not to take on any extra expenditures with a possible budget crisis looming. The district may soon have to worry about cutting, not adding, programs.

"There's no doubt they need a full year of science," said Rob Collins, board president. "If you're tested on science, you have to be obligated to get as high scores as possible. But we also don't want to lose elective classes. Kids are not mature and need to be aware of all kinds of options."

According to the staff report prepared by Bill Waxman, director of secondary education, the cost of increasing science instruction and adding an optional "zero" period before school for electives would be about $480,000. The figure represents an ongoing cost for additional science teachers and, depending on how many students request extra course work, how many teachers are available for those elective classes.

According to his most recent budget proposal, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to cut state spending by about $300 per pupil.

California already ranks as one of the lowest states in the country in per-student funding, spending $1,892 less than the national average, according to a study released last week by Education Week, a national publication focused on covering K-12 education.

Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting $4.4 billion from public schools in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1.

"We can't move forward without considering it in the scheme of our budget," said board member Janice DiFatta. "I don't see science becoming mandatory for eighthgraders sooner than the 2009-10 school year."

DiFatta's colleagues shared her sentiments.

"Our kids are not getting enough science, but we do have to put it off a year," said board member Jeanne Davis. "We are committed to it, and we want to see it happen."

"The state overspends and then makes cuts," board member Eric Lundstrom said. "It seems the educational arena gets hit the hardest."

Waxman's report indicated that SVUSD eighth-graders are falling behind when it comes to the California Standard Testing and Reporting (STAR) for basic science.

Simi Unified had a mean scale score of 348.6 among the 1,536 eighth-graders who took the science portion of the STAR test. The Conejo Valley Unified School District, with 1,764 eighth-graders, had a mean score of 407.5, and Moorpark Unified, with 588 eighthgraders, had a mean score of 393.1.

With the current state of the budget, the district and the board feel their hands are tied with regard to implementing additional science instruction.

"We have no choice," board member Debbie Sandland said.