Our school board will meet Wednesday, March 3, to identify budget reduction items for the 2010-2011 school year.

The budget reductions must total $3.3 million and are in addition to the $10.6 million Walnut Valley has already cut to meet California’s State budget requirements for the 2010-2011 school year. 

The budget reduction options include further cuts in:

·         teaching, classified, and administrative staff

·         class size increases

·         academic and extra-curricular program reductions

·         service reductions

·         closing schools

·         shortening the 2010-2011 school year

·         furlough days

·         salary reductions.  

At its meeting on Wednesday evening, March 3, the Board will identify items from the options chart to be included in the budget reductions.  The Board may select any combination of options that total $3.3 million unless the items are negotiable.   Should items be ratified through the negotiations process, they can become part of the total $3.3 million.

Another $7.5 million in budget reductions for the 2011-2012 school year must be identified by June 30.  Additional items from the options chart, including those that are negotiable, will be considered by the Board prior to the June 23 final budget. 

Over the past three years, the Walnut Valley Unified School District’s state revenues have been reduced by $19,172,044 or 17.4%.

                                                                                    State Revenues for WVUSD

                                    2007-2008                                         $110,339,615

                                    2008-2009                                         $108,379,739

                                    2009-2010                                         $  97,210,156

                                    2010-2011                                         $  91,167,571

State revenues are dropping for two reasons:

1)    Approximately 50% of the taxes collected by the state of California are used to fund K-14 public education.   State property taxes, income taxes, and sales taxes have declined dramatically as a result of our country’s economic crises.  As state taxes decline, so do dollars for public education.  Other sources of revenues must be identified for public education.

2)    The State allocates its revenues based on student ADA (average daily attendance).  Student enrollment continues to decline in Walnut Valley as students graduate and leave home for college or work.   When there are no more WVUSD students in that home, our enrollment drops.   When the home is sold and a new family moves in, our enrollment will increase again.  

Like school districts around us, last year we:

·         laid off teachers

·         reduced classified staff

·         reduced administrators

·         raised class sizes

·         postponed the purchase of new textbooks,

·         reduced funding for extra-curricular activities and field trips

·         eliminated most travel and conference funds

·         redesigned bus routes

·         administrators, supervisors, and psychologists gave 3 furlough days

·         classified staff gave 1 furlough day.