A new state mandate requiring universal pre-kindergarten classes for 4-year-olds will cost the Santa Barbara Unified School District $1.2 million in ongoing additional staff costs.
“This will quickly deplete our reserves and require cuts to be made to staffing and operation costs, reducing what we are able to provide to students,” according to information contained in the board packet for Tuesday night’s school board meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at 720 Santa Barbara St.
The costs come on top of a projected revenue shortfall of $6.8 million this school year, $7.1 million the following year and then $4.8 million in 2024.
“A teacher could lose their job,” said board member Virginia Alvarez. “We are going to have to make some really tough decisions.
Alvarez said she is a strong advocate for early childhood education and public school for 4-year-olds, but that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mandate comes without funding for 156 school districts in the state that are funded mostly by property taxes, and not per-student reimbursement from the state.
The new program is set to begin this fall and is designed to help close the achievement gap between white and Latino and students of color in public schools.
The idea is that an earlier start to education will help students learn earlier and sooner, and that preschool won’t just be an option for those who can afford private day care preschool, costs that can run upwards of $1,200 per month.
“California does not have enough subsidized, affordable, preschool programs to go around, and private preschool programs are out of reach of so many California families,” said board member Kate Ford.
Transitional kindergarten will provide much-needed “educational equity for all 4-year-olds in our state,” Ford said, and will free up positions at preschools around the state so that they can offer important educational foundations to 2- and 3-year-olds.
But, she added, the issue at hand is funding.
“Transitional kindergarten is no small-ticket item,” Ford said. ” While we work hard to make transitional kindergarten available to all 4-year-olds in the district, we must also work hard to convince the state to fund all transitional kindergarten programs.”
Sen. Monique Limon and two dozen other lawmakers have written letters to urge Newsom to fund the community schools.
In addition, the district says there will be facilities costs. Transitional kindergarten classrooms need to be a minimum of 1,350 square feet, and have appropriate bathrooms and play spaces. The classrooms must be located close to parent drop-off and parking.
Board president Rose Munoz said the opportunity to provide transitional kindergarten to the community means that students will be better prepared when they begin elementary school.
“I am concerned about the impact it will have on the budget, however, since Santa Barbara Unified will not receive funding for this mandate along with other districts in California,” Munoz said.
Alvarez said she urges the community to write letters to the governor in support of funding for transitional kindergarten. She urged people to email her at valvarez@sbunified.org for more information.
“Transitional kindergarten is a great idea,” Alvarez said. “The problem is the unintended consequences that it creates in Santa Barbara Unified. That is not OK.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
