Schools Can Weather Budget Woes

Superintendent Jeffrey Felix gave his fourth State of the District address Thursday, and portrayed a school system that is thriving despite years of dwindling revenues. 

He credits prudent fiscal management and staff sacrifices, including three years of compensation cuts. Budgets were shaped with a five-year recession in mind. In addition, the current and past school boards kept adequate reserves, some $4 million, according to Randie Allen, Associate Superintendent for Business Services.

Because of these measures, no teacher will be laid off this year, and the district will continue to create programs that “inspire, innovate and create limitless opportunities to thrive,” Felix promised.

Programs such as STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) or One to One training, a program that lets students learn at their own pace, and dozens of others will continue, Felix said.

He applauded many educational proposals in Gov. Jerry Brown’s State of the State address – and – such as a greater voice for teachers and principals, fewer tests with more timely results and a call for on-site teacher evaluation systems, .  

But he faulted Brown for “perpetrating a fraud” by threatening to cut education if a tax increase is not approved. 

In that case, the district will only have to cut its budget by $375,000. If it fails, officials will have to trim more than triple that: $1.23 million.

In either case, “We have the reserves to keep our mission in a steady line,” Felix predicted.