School District: Blame The State

The school district took a lot of heat in recent weeks with its budget options, one of which would have been to suspend kindergarten for one year. The district didn’t do it, but its cuts to other departments have yielded criticism from some union members and the public.

But last week, school officials cleared the air, so to speak, about what they blame for cuts that included reducing 24 positions: The state budget.

School District officials placed the blame squarely on the state last week when they voted to tell county education officials that – essentially – they may not be able to pay their bills unless they get a loan.

While a bridge loan from the county treasurer is likely to happen, it costs money: There are interest payments to make.

School officials pointed to the state’s habit deferring the payments they are owed until after the district is supposed to normally get them: 38 percent of the money that is supposed to come now from the state will come in July.

Try paying your bills this month if your employer decided to pay you in July, board members said.

What’s more, Superintendent Jacki Cottingham-Dias said redevelopment money the state told the public would be directed to schools has yet to materialize.

Well, in the most important ways. The $8 million the district was owed came, but the state turned around and took another $8 million away, the superintendent said. So realistically: zilch.

“Anyone who understands that knows that California school budgets just don’t lend themselves to sound bites,” Cottingham-Dias said.