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Superintendent's Recommended Operating Budget Message <br /> 200910 <br /> Revised .April 2, 2009 <br /> At this time, our nation is experiencing its greatest financial crisis since the Great <br /> Depression, with projections that the situation will worsen before it improves. The <br /> recession is impacting all segments of the economy, including local, state, and national <br /> governments. It's essential that we acknowledge that the development of this year's <br /> budget cannot be approached as "business as usual." We will need to work closely and <br /> cooperatively with the Board of County Commissioners to submit and gain approval of a <br /> budget that is fiscally responsive to the availability of revenues. Our budget request this <br /> year will not reflect what we believe we need to meet the expectations of all of our <br /> constituents, but rather it will be a plan for conserving resources and downsizing our <br /> budget to meet the available revenues. <br /> Projection of Student Growth (kindergarten) <br /> The State Department of Public Instruction has projected our membership for next <br /> year to be 11,740 students. After adjusting for out-of-county tuition paying students and <br /> including the projected number of charter students, the total number of students is <br /> projected to be 11,749, an increase of only 21 students. <br /> This is the first year of a change in the kindergarten. entry age. Previously, <br /> students had to be 5 years of age by October 16; now, they must be 5 by August 31. This <br /> will result in fewer children being eligible for kindergarten this year. We currently have <br /> 854 kindergartners and the state projection for next year is 725. <br /> Federal Budget <br /> Many questions remain regarding federal funding for education in the next fiscal <br /> year. We are not aware of any anticipated reductions in federal funding except we don't <br /> know if our Title III Immigrant Grant funds will be renewed. These funds are in excess <br /> of$800,000 and are integral to the support of our ESL and Newcomer programs. If all of <br /> these funds are lost, we will have to contribute some local dollars to try to compensate for <br /> the reduction This also is the last y ear of the 2 I't,.Century grant for our high schools to <br /> support after-school programs. We anticipate that this program will be terminated. <br /> Details on exactly how the funds from the federal Recovery Act and Stabilization <br /> Act will be distributed to LEAs have not been forthcoming. We are expecting additional <br /> Title I dollars as well as additional funding for IDEA and, possibly, Head Start. There <br /> are provisions in these.bills that prevent supplanting. <br /> State Budget <br /> The Department of Public Instruction was directed by the Governor to develop <br /> plans for reducing the State's budget for education by 3%, 5%, and 7%. We have <br /> included this analysis in your budget materials, as Well as the impact on our local district. <br /> We expect to receive a report on the exact implications for our district later this Weep. <br /> It's important that as We look for areas to reduce in our local budget that we anticipate <br /> What the state reductions might be. In some cases, We may Want to reallocate local <br /> dollars to compensate for state reductions. For example, the state could reduce funding <br /> 1 <br />