Moreno Valley schools budget approved; services to take 'some hits'

10:00 PM PDT on Thursday, July 2, 2009
By DAN LEE
The Press-Enterprise

"Sorry Moms, Dads, Families, Kid's - but It's Going to Get Worse!" Much Worse Than This.

Moreno Valley children will have fewer teachers, larger classes, less supervision for suspended (Read: ALL) students and fewer sports teams when they return to school this fall. The Moreno Valley Board of Education this week approved a $284 million budget for the 2009-10 school year, closing a $23 million gap between projected revenue and spending. "There's definitely going to be some hits," board President Tracey Vackar said by phone. The district issued layoff notices to 254 teachers (and counselors) in May and eliminated nearly 30 administrative or supportive positions; increased elementary classes sizes; reduced bus driver hours and school maintenance services; and delayed buying new textbooks to help close the shortfall. Does any one else read the missing text? Bob Krank is giving away the question. Most importantly will we pit careers against salary schedule? (see my answers at tbe end of this peace.)

Parents and students will have to get used to slower ( Read: almost no ) services, because the district has fewer employees, Vackar said.
In addition, the board reduced the amount of money budgeted for student activities and athletics, eliminating freshman sports teams. "The good news is that a lot of freshman kids will be eligible to compete with the junior varsity," Vackar said. The board did decide to keep three school resource officers at middle schools, because members felt that health and safety are priorities, she said. But district officials know that they will likely have to trim another $20 million because of state funding cuts that are expected because of California's budget crisis. The district could use federal stimulus funds to help close that additional shortfall, but those monies are only available once and are usually not used for recurring expenses. The board does not want to use all of the stimulus money at once, Vackar said. "You would pass off your problem for another year," she said.

Instead, the district will use some of that money and make up the rest of the expected shortfall with further cuts, Assistant Superintendent Bob Crank said. Those cuts could include increased class sizes, furloughs or pay cuts, he said by phone. Further layoffs are a possibility, Superintendent Rowena Lagrosa said. Eighty-four percent of the district's budget pays for personnel, she said. "You can't help but touch upon personnel," Lagrosa said by phone. Some of the cuts might come during the middle of the fall semester or be implemented for the spring semester, Vackar said. The district may be (read: will barely be) able to afford to provide only a core curriculum, she said. After the district addresses this (years) $20 million shortfall, it will have cut (over) $62 million... since January 2008 because of reduced state funding, the recession and declining enrollment. Extracurricular programs like those aimed at helping students prepare and apply for college may face cuts, Vackar said. "It makes me sick," she said. "Those to me aren't fluff programs. Those are programs that help kids become successful."

Now for my answer. Let me quote the prophetic Pro Football Coach and philosopher Bear Bryant: "SEEMS LIKE DEJA VUE ALL OVER AGAIN."