School Beat: Back to the BudgetLisa Schiffbyline‚ Sep. 24‚ 2009The state of public school finances has been dismal for a long time, but this year is possibly the worst. A statement in the 2009-2010 budget for the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) clearly lays out what we’re facing in education: “Based on the Governor’s proposals for K-12 funding and assumptions that CDE recommends for use by school districts, SFUSD will need to make more than $60 million in budget cuts through FY 2011-2012 in order to retain minimum reserves. Unless budgetary conditions improve, the District will be forced to make significant cost reductions – especially beginning in FY 2010-11 – such as reducing the length of the school year, reducing programs funded by the Public Education Enrichment Fund and state categorical programs, increasing class size, and reducing or eliminating summer school and transportation services.” (SFUSD 2009-2010 Budget, p. 10). |