School district outlines possible budget cuts
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

Rob Collins watched the presentation with his mouth agape.

Everybody in the city hall chambers, including Collins, the president of the Simi Valley Unified School District Board of Education, sat in silence as Lowell Schultze, associate superintendent of business and facilities, explained in detail how local schools will be adversely affected by the state budget crisis.

"It could get worse," Collins said. "This is just Round One."

Schultze said during Tuesday's regular board meeting that there will be $360 million in cuts midyear for California K-12 schools. In midyear cuts alone, Simi Valley figures to lose $580,000 to $850,000, according to Schultze's 2008-09 budget assumptions analysis.

The associate superintendent and his staff examined specifically what and who will be affected, including students, counselors and special education funding.

The revenue limit in 200809 will be 2.74 percent less than the current school year, which translates to $136.24 less spent per student for a total decrease of more than $2.7 million. SVUSD could take a $1.4 million hit because there are expected to be 254 fewer students.

In kindergartentothirdgrade class-size reduction, there will be a decrease of $70 per student, for a total of $638,260. With ninth-grade class sizes expected to be reduced, there will be a shortfall of $22,395, or $15 per student.

School and Library Improvement Block Grants will be cut by $116,000.

Middle school and high school counselors will receive $8 less per student for a total decrease of $83,470.

There will be $103,000 less to spend on instructional materials.

Federal funding for special education in Simi Valley will decrease by $828,370. The federal funding for entitlement will decrease $56,000. Special education transportation will decrease $69,300.

Child nutrition will decrease $14,350.

Funding for summer school will be $60,000 less than the year before.

Not only will revenue fall, but expenditures are expected to rise.

Health and welfare benefits will increase by 5 percent, for a total of $997,700. Pay increases for more tenured certified ($1.18 million) and classified ($394,842) staff are expected to rise.

With so much in flux, Simi Valley Unified will have to be cautious with every action.

Schultze suggested a freeze on all travel and conferences, freeze on overtime (except in emergencies), a hiring freeze, reduced premiums on PPO (preferred provider organization), reduced worker's compensation rate and a department budget review.

"Anytime you have a decrease in revenue, it makes everyone's job tougher," Schultze said.

The Budget Advisory Committee will meet Tuesday, Feb. 12 to discuss many of these issues. The school board will meet Tuesday, Feb. 19 for a budget study session.

The SVUSD board will meet in a regular meeting one more time this month, on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.