Impending state budget cuts taint positive WUSD outlook

Windsor Unified School District’s growing enrollment continues
to provide a strong financial base for the district, but an
impending State budget crisis could still pose a problem for
Windsor schools.
Mary Downey, Windsor Unified School District’s Chief Business
Officer revealed a budget surplus and healthy growth rate in the
first interim report but also warned the district to prepare for
major state budget cuts.
Downey told school board members on Dec. 4 that the district can
meet their financial requirements, enabling them to approve the
first interim report with a positive certification and more good
news is the district is continuing to grow.
“Basically the district is very fortunate that we have growth
and that helps us and we have a four percent growth rate over last
year and our fund balance in the excess of what the state
requires,” she said.
Downey said the district has a yearly budget of more than $41
million and has a surplus of roughly $212,000 excluding a reserve
fund that the board has set aside for retiree benefits.
She said the budget will most likely continue to grow as the
district is financed through the average daily attendance (ADA) of
each student and Windsor is experienceing increased enrollment.
“The district receives $5799.06 for each student,” she said.
Downey’s summary of the first interim report shows student
enrollment has grown over the past six years and she said the
district could assume the ADA will continue to grow at 1.5 percent
each year in a multi-year budget projection.
Although the increased ADA funds is good for the budget, newly
appointed school board president Katy Dillwood said the growth in
enrollment can also pose a problem.
“We are already exceeding our capacity at several of the
schools,” she said. “Growth is a good thing except when you don’t
have room to expand.”
Dillwood said the district had potential expansion plans drawn
up for various school sites and Mattie Washburn Elementary is just
one campus that could benefit from more classrooms.
“Mattie Washburn, they are currently having their library on
rolling carts in their multipurpose room and are using the library
for a class room … we have needs everywhere,” she said.
The school district is waiting for a bond measure to pass as
well as a final decision on the state’s budget cuts. Downey said
both the bond and the state budget could have a major impact on the
district’s budget.
Despite the current surpluss, she said state budget cuts could
negatively impact the district as soon as this year.
“The governor is going to call a meeting of the legislators
after the first of the year and there will be a decision made about
whether there will be mid-year cuts to the schools and we do not
have any of the details about what they would be at this time,” she
said.
In a governmental relations advisory written by Legislative
Advocate Adonai Mack and Management Services Executive Brett
McFadden of the Association of California School Administrators
they warned schools that the state’s deficit is worse than
previously expected.
“It now appears that the overall state budget deficit for the
current and budget years is likely to go beyond $14 billion,” they
wrote. “… The governor requested that all of the state department
agencies prepare hypothetical budgets based on a ten percent
reduction for the next fiscal year.”
Dillwood said she is concerned about the affect of the state
budget cuts compounded with the possibility of the district’s bond
measure not passing. If the bond passes, the state will match
millions of dollars to support the district’s expansion to
accommodate increased enrollment.
“We can maximize our bond money because the state will match
approximately $17 million dollars but only if the bond passes,” she
said.
The $50 million Measure “B” bond will be on ballots Feb. 5 and
the funds will be allotted for new buildings and technology
upgrades at preexisting campuses as well as a new campus that will
hold up to 600 students. For more information about Measure “B” log
on to the district’s website at www.wusd.org.
Dillwood said that passing the bond would help the district keep
their quality programs.
“We’re very anxious to see if the school bond is passed and if
it does not pass student housing will come from the general fund
and if it is carved out of the general fund other programs will
suffer,” she said.