Friday, February 3, 2012

Budget Update from Supt. Kowba

kowba Our Board continues to wrestle with the evolving budget challenges facing us in the next school year. This week, the Board approved moving forward with a 2012-13 budget reduction plan. This strategy requires that our district make substantial reductions to balance our 2012-13 budget, cuts that will result in higher class sizes, fewer teachers and support staff, and detrimental impacts on student learning.

During the next few weeks, school site budgets will be prepared and merged with central office department budgets as a consolidated budget projection that must be reported to the County Office of Education by March 15.  This is also the deadline when the district must notify teachers and other certificated staff that their contracts may not be renewed for the next school year. All of this activity occurs long before our final budget must be completed by June 30, 2012.
 
As we move forward, the Board and the district leadership team will continue to explore every avenue to protect classrooms and mitigate lay-offs. One way would be through employee concessions.  The Board has directed me to reach out to all of our employee unions to ask that we begin discussions about concessions that could include forgoing negotiated raises, continuing furlough days, adjusting health benefits or other solutions. I am hopeful that we will have productive discussions with our collective bargaining teams that will result in shared solutions and sacrifices that are in the best interest of our students.

We will also continue to press our message with the Sacramento leadership that public education cannot sustain any more cuts.

During the coming months, many budget details may be adjusted as the lawmakers debate and reach agreement, and collective bargaining dialogue identifies solutions.

I am very proud of the daily commitment of our staff through the fifth-straight year of budget turmoil. I also appreciate the support of parents and the community who continue to focus on academic priorities. They are similarly and staunchly committed to a successful future for all San Diego children.  

I will regularly update you as the budget development cycle unfolds. Budget information is available on our website at www.sandi.net/budget.  You can also take action to communicate with your elected officials on our new Education Issues Action Center website at www.sandi.net/actioncenter .

Thank you for your support!
 
Signature

Bill Kowba
Superintendent