Superintendent Kym LeBlanc-Esparza delivered a budget message focused on supporting student progress toward 21st century learning Tuesday night. She told the 14-person citizen Budget Committee that the goal for the 2014-15 budget is to ensure it is aligned to priorities and goals in the new district strategic plan, the Governor’s 40-40-20 education goals and common core standards.

The general fund budget for the coming year is $45,358,713 -- $1,928,713 more then the current year budget. LeBlanc-Esparza said initial excitement quickly died when she realized those funds were needed to restore budgets previously supported by bond funds, establish a contingency fund and provide employee step increases and salary increases for the first time in several years.  In addition, the budget increase will allow the district to:
Increase elementary staffing to balance class size and planning time, reducing  class size ratios from 26:1 to 25:1 in K-2 and reducing grades 3-5 from 29:1 to 26.5:1
Purchase formative assessment tools for K-10
Pay for increasing transportation costs for athletics and activities, plus costs associated with the new middle school schedule
Restructure previously vacant positions that support instructional technology and secondary instruction.

District CFO, Gwen Gardner, presented the proposed “all funds” budget of $67,939,577.72 following the superintendent’s budget message. This budget includes the general operating fund, special revenue funds, debt service, an early retirement fund and bond funds. Gardner introduced a new format to the proposed budget document that displays expenditures, personnel and per pupil expenditures by individual schools and departments.

The district budget committee will meet in subgroups to examine administration, elementary, middle and high school budgets next week. The second budget committee meeting is at 7pm on May 20, 2014. The school board is scheduled to hold a public budget hearing at 6:30pm on May 27, 2014, after which the board will take action on adoption of the budget.