West County Schools Budget Protects Primary Class Size, Police, Adult Ed

The budget adopted by the West Contra Costa Unified School District board Tuesday night maintains current class sizes in kindergarten through third grade, police officers on campus, and adult education.

But Sheri Gamba, associate superintendent of business services, who made final preparations for the meeting earlier in the day as details of the state budget were emerging, warned the board that the latest state budget plan “banks on an economic rebound.” Without that rebound, there could be mid-year cuts including reducing the school year by seven days, she reported.

Following adoption of the budget on a 4-0 vote, with Elaine Merriweather absent, the board approved spending up to $60,000 to investigate renewing a parcel tax due to expire in the 2014-15 school year. School board president Charles Ramsey appointed board members Madeline Kronenberg and Antonio Medrano as the subcommittee to select a polling firm to pursue the matter.

In presenting the budget information, Gamba cautioned that she didn’t have all the details from the state and would need to return to the board with an update once that information is available.

In addition to being based on a state budget full of uncertainty, this year’s district budget relies on one-time monies and on employee furlough days set to expire in 2012-13. That, coupled with the possibility of mid-year cuts, could mean reductions in the following two school years.

The projections presented for 2012-13 already list eliminating smaller classes in kindergarten through third grade, though Gamba said the staff knows that keeping the smaller classes is a priority with the board if funds are available. Ramsey expressed concern about having that elimination language included, but Superintendent Bruce Harter said it was only this year’s budget that was actually being adopted by the board, not the projections for future years.