Oak Park school district reaches balanced budget through job cuts

By Daniel Wolowiczdanielw@theacorn.com

The Oak Park Unified School District Board passed a 2005-2006 balanced budget last week after making district-wide staff cuts, including the elimination of a teaching position.

The Oak Park cuts include three custodians, a warehouse delivery person, a department secretary and an elementary music teacher. The cost-cutting moves saved the district approximately $260,000, administration officials said.

According to Martin Klauss, assistant superintendent, the music teacher resigned and was not fired, but the district will not hire a new teacher to replace her. As a result, the two remaining music teachers will split duties covering three school sites.

“We’re beyond lean,” Klauss said. “We’re now thin.”

Despite the tight budget, the school board still wants to make building improvements at each of the school sites, but officials must consider alternative sources of financing to make the construction possible. The alternatives include floating a new bond.

“The board has not taken any discussion or action regarding a potential bond election,” said Tony Knight, Oak Park superintendent. “After the board revises the final facilities master plan, we will then have discussions on how to finance that. That is when the board will explore the feasibility and necessity of a bond election.”

School officials were faced with a budget deficit of $361,000. Nearly $300,000 of the deficit is attributed to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s current proposal to cut state spending for the teachers’ retirement fund.

Oak Park officials also plan to transfer approximately $157,000 from Fund 400, a special fund earmarked for building construction and upkeep, into the district’s general fund.

According to school officials, Fund 400 paid for the two-story building at Oak Park High School that houses 10 classrooms. The district expects the state this summer will match the money spent by the district on repairs and maintenance.

Even with the staff cuts and the transfer of funds, the district will only be $55,000 in the black, according to budget figures.

With the possibility of a special election in November being called for by Gov. Schwarzenegger to reassess California’s budget—school coffers are a prime target—districts such as Oak Park are being conservative with next year’s budgets.

Also impacting the school spending is Oak Park’s recent decline in school enrollment. In addition, California ranks 44th in the nation with per student spending, and Oak Park only receives 86 percent of the state’s average. The state gives Oak Park $5,200 per student.

As a way to raise more money, school officials are actively pushing a campaign to attract students from other districts. The program has been successful.

According to school officials, there are presently 300 students from other districts enrolled in Oak Park schools. Klauss said 80 students from the program will be leaving this year. However, the ad campaign has attracted 106 more students this year.

The 326 inter-district students will add almost $1.7 million in budget revenue, officials said.