Message from Superintendent Patrick Godwin Regarding the State Budget Crisis

August 5, 2009

As of today, we are five days away from our first day of school.  The summer has been a whirlwind of challenges as we address the state's budget crisis and its impact on our students, schools, and community.

The good news

The federal stimulus funds, combined with a work year/compensation reduction agreement with our teachers and certificated support staff (FCEA), and administrators and supervisors (FCAA), allowed us to avoid the "worst case" budget scenario that we had to prepare and propose in June.  Our high schools and middle schools will still be able to offer a full range of elective courses, and our counselor services will remain at the same level as last year.  We will also provide the same athletic opportunities as last year.

I suppose one could also say that it is good news that we finally have a revised state budget for 2009-10, but it is hard to be thankful for a budget that required us to reduce our expenditures by over $14 million dollars and provides significantly less per student than the national average. 

We are also already hearing rumblings of more revenue declines and the possibility of mid-year cuts.   

Remaining problems and concerns

There is nothing to like on the remaining list of reductions for 2009-10.  (Superintendent's July 30 budget recommendations).  Class sizes will be larger this year, and some of our services will be diminished. 

The two greatest concerns at this time are the loss of personnel to work in our libraries and to keep our schools clean and orderly.  At present, we anticipate having to lay off a dozen custodians and all or most of the support staff assigned to the libraries.   

The District has met with the union (California School Employees Association, or CSEA) that represents the custodians, library staff, instructional assistants, bus drivers, clerical staff, cafeteria workers, and other school support staff.  However, CSEA has not yet joined FCEA and FCAA in agreeing to a reduction in the work year or other salary adjustment to save many of the jobs and services performed by the custodians and library staff.  

Because of the laws that govern the layoff of classified (CSEA) employees, the custodians and library staff will work for the first few weeks of school, but absent an agreement, the District will be forced to proceed with reducing and/or eliminating positions to balance the budget. 

We do remain hopeful that CSEA will join FCEA and FCAA in reducing the work year by at least three days and/or rolling back compensation to save jobs and services. 

Looking ahead

The federal stimulus funds played a huge roll in preserving the opportunities and services we provide to our students and community, but they are short term solutions.  The $14.7 million in 2009-10 budget reductions reflects only $4.7 million in ongoing savings and $10 million in one-time or short term revenues and savings.

Absent an amazing economic recovery, the state and, consequently, the District both have a structural deficit that will need to be resolved in the future.  The unfortunate truth is that several of the programs and services we saved this year will likely be threatened again next year. 

We will do our best to seek ways to economize and to generate additional revenues, but it is simply not possible for us to operate our schools in 2009-10 and beyond with $834 less per student than we received in 2007-08.  In 2007-08 we were about $650 per pupil below the national average, and that deficit has grown to $1450 with this state budget.

Parting thoughts

The Governing Board thanks the Folsom Cordova Education Association (FCEA) and the Folsom Cordova Administrators Association (FCAA) for agreeing to a reduction in the work year to help our students and schools.  We are also appreciative of the federal stimulus funds and the efforts of our national leaders to both backfill local losses and stimulate discussions about school improvement. 

The state legislature has indicated that it will soon begin to discuss changes in funding all public services in California, including education.  Additional hearings and/or discussions will be needed to bring the state codes and regulations that guide our schools into alignment with the requirements for future federal funding. 

Both these topics will be central to determining the future for our schools, students, and community.  Please plan to stay informed and to be heard.    

Patrick Godwin