News

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Board of Education Discussion of Budget Cuts for Fiscal Year 2008-09

It is unfortunate that the governor’s budget proposal has again placed school districts across the state in the difficult position of making budget cuts and the Santa Barbara School Districts is no exception. To remain fiscally solvent, the districts are forced to cut $4 million from the 2008-09 general fund budget.

Last night, the board of education was presented with a menu of proposed budget cuts totaling $5.3 million with a goal of attaining $4 million in expenditure reductions for the 2008-09 fiscal year. While the board did not make final decisions on most of the items presented in the fiscal recovery plan they did however remove junior high electives from the proposed list of budget cuts. The board requested additional information on several items presented so that they can make their final decisions at the April 22, 2008 board meeting, beginning at 6:00 pm, Board Room, Santa Barbara School Districts’ Administration Office.

The districts’ fiscal recovery plan (in pdf format), as presented at the April 8 board meeting, is available for review on the districts' web site.

It should be noted that the fiscal recovery plan may be modified prior to its final reading on April 22.