The bright sunshine outside was a sharp contrast to the dark forecast Santa Barbara County schools Superintendent Bill Cirone outlined Friday morning for the Santa Barbara Partners in Education. Cirone had the unenviable task of reporting on the federal stimulus package and California’s newly enacted budget, and the implications for schools.
Prior to the presentation, Partners in Education welcomed three new board members: Bill Macfadyen, founder and publisher of Noozhawk; Steve Bowman, owner of Bowman’s Auto Repair; and Michael Mulnix, president of Antioch University Santa Barbara.
Founded in 1977, the nonprofit Partners in Education connects businesses and individuals with schools and the organizations that serve them. Among the group’s initiatives is the Computers for Families program, which provides computers, training and Internet access to students from low-income families on the South Coast. Since its launch in 1997, more than 7,000 refurbished computers have been distributed and the program has become a nationally recognized model. On Friday, George Wolverton, CFF committee chairman and publisher of the Pacific Coast Business Times, announced the completion of Computers for Families’ $4 million sustainability campaign.
After the high of that accomplishment, however, Cirone turned to the sobering topic of how schools are faring amid the economic downturn and California’s precarious budget situation. The newly enacted state budget, on paper, eliminates a $42 billion deficit through a combination of tax increases, borrowing and more than $15 billion in spending cuts — a staggering $9 billion of which will come from education. As a result of the budget, which was just approved last month, Californians will be asked to vote in a May 19 special election on five ballot measures that will deal with spending, education and social services.
The statewide woes have not left the South Coast unscathed, Cirone said, and the cumulative total dollar loss to Santa Barbara County is almost $9 million.
Education will see a revenue limit deficit of nearly 8 percent in the current budget year, and 13 percent next year. Cirone broke those numbers down even further as he explained which categories and what programs would be affected. Tier One, a relative bright spot in his presentation, includes services like child nutrition and special education, and will not experience any additional spending cuts. But Tier Two, which includes items such as state testing and facility grants for charter schools, has taken a cut of more than 15 percent this year and could expect the next year to yield an additional 5 percent reduction.
Meanwhile, Tier Three programs are also taking similar cuts, but the state has granted these programs “broad flexibility.” This means school districts can transfer money from any of these programs into their general funds. For example, Cirone said, Santa Maria Joint Union High School District trustees recently voted to move $1 million in adult education funds to its general fund to help make ends meet.
Santa Barbara School District Superintendent Brian Sarvis noted that a number of districts in California have been forced to take money from these categorical programs to stave off bankruptcy.
“School districts across the state support the broad flexibility,” Cirone said. “But it’s a sad commentary, because the flexibility was money designated for the critical-need programs.”
There is optimism, he said, surrounding the federal stimulus bill, which is expected to dedicate $115 billion to education nationwide.
“What we don’t know are the details,” he said. “How much will reach the schools, and when it will be received remains yet to be seen.”
State revenues and the special election in May should be closely monitored, he said, along with district bankruptcies. “I’m pleased to report that we’re not anticipating any (bankruptcies) in this county at this time,” he said.
Another optimistic item in the report came as Cirone talked about community colleges, because their capacity has been preserved thus far.
“From where we sit, we’re pleased that the community college’s capacity was not as severely cut, and that the state is recognizing the role community colleges play in economic recovery,” he said.
While California’s situation looks dismal, Cirone said he’s holding out hope for federal money to be available to help schools.
“We truly are gutting the public school system and public services throughout California,” he said. “The hope is that all of the money that is in the stimulus package truly gets out into the schools.”
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— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com.
