Jan 12, 2009
Pasadena, CA—- Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) Superintendent Edwin Diaz issued the following statement in response to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s State of the State address and proposed budget cuts:
“Our schools are already coping with the effects of $7.5 million in budget reductions last year. While we have managed to keep budget cuts away from classroom instruction in the past, the Governor’s proposed approximately $10 billion in cuts over the next 18 months will have a dire impact on PUSD schools and students in the upcoming year.
I am particularly disturbed by the proposal to reduce the school year by five days. This would be a big step backwards in our efforts to accelerate academic achievement for all students. We need more time with kids to close the achievement gap and address the needs of both low- and high-achieving students—not less.
While I understand that the Governor and the State Legislature confront tough decisions due to the national economic crisis, I strongly urge them to arrive at a decision quickly so that we have as much time as possible to plan for the year ahead. It will also be important for our State officials to provide maximum flexibility to use all resources available to fund core programs during this fiscal crisis, and protect the academic gains our schools have made over the past seven years.
PUSD is in a better position than many school districts, but we know that we will need to make some tough decisions this year. In anticipation of reduced funding, we have already identified some immediate actions to buffer the impact. At the January 13 Board of Education meeting, I provided an update on the PUSD budget planning process for 2009-10, highlighting our initial steps to close the budget gap. We have established a $7 million one-time emergency fund to cover mid-year reductions, identified $5 million in ongoing budget reductions that we will implement as soon as possible, and eliminated a cost-of-living increase for 2009-10.
District executive staff are meeting bi-weekly to gather information and identify areas for additional cuts. Areas under discussion for potential reductions, efficiency improvements or revenue enhancement include: class size reduction programs, categorical expenditures, staffing ratios, a second-phase reorganization of the District office, energy conservation, and civic center permits. We will also conduct cost/benefit analyses of budget allocations for programs such as the International Baccalaureate, the Reinvention of John Muir, JROTC and the KLRN television station. To immediately capture savings at the District level, I will implement administrative directives to curtail spending on travel, food, and overtime.
In preparation for the lean times ahead, I have directed all PUSD schools and offices to limit expenditures immediately, review every single position in the district, and determine where alternate resources are available for ongoing programs and operations.
In three weeks, the Board of Education will conduct a workshop to develop a working vision statement, decision criteria, and values to guide the difficult budget decisions that we must make this year. We will continue to track the development of the state budget, communicate PUSD’s interests to our legislators and keep the community informed as we continue our budget discussions over the next several months.”
