Sacramento is still here but the money is gone!

I spent the day in Sacramento and was involved with a variety of discussions with Legislative leaders regarding the status of the State Budget and its potential impact on local school funding -- including RUSD and other Riverside County school districts. Overall, the news remains bad with BUDGETARY recovery several years away (Economic recovery -- which is different -- is much sooner). The larger question at this point is, what is the form and circumstance that the new reductions will come to us at the local level:

• Though everyone agrees that flexibility has saved jobs -- Will we continue to have flexibility and will the flexibility be extended so that we don't have problems with our "Interim Reporting" to the county?
• Instructional Materials Fund flexibility has assisted all districts and allowed for good instructional decisions of local school boards, but will the State Board of Education usurp that authority and if so what is the legal basis of such a decision?
• What will be the form and notification of additional deferrals from the state -- that postpones the payments that are owed to local school districts by the state?
• Is there any relief for districts on the "mandated cost" money that is owed -- or is there an alternative resolution to this long-standing issue?
• Will the state resolve its structural budget problems or ...kick the can down the road to another time and another Legislature?
• AND a variety of other issues.

Ultimately I would agree with the sentiments of one of the legislative representatives that stated that, "we have been dismantling the social infrastructure" in California. Public education is included in that social infrastructure -- and it has impact NOW and probably even more importantly in the FUTURE. The Governor's budget presentation in January will be an important indicator of where we are going in the coming year and beyond.