Reductions in Rank Order

 1.   Increase student teacher ratio Liberty $30,000+

 The committee recommends a 20 to 1 ratio. I strongly suggest that enrollment ratio be set at 22 to 1. Given the attendance rate at Liberty is approximately 80% of enrollment this would produce an instruction group on any given day of between 17 and 18 students. PRPE Rebuttal:  Liberty classrooms were designed at the recommended continuation ratio of 17 to 1 and the classrooms cannot seat more than 20.  In addition, the district has continued to assert that intervention programs should be staffed at no more than 20 to 1.  (See #4 below under augmentations)

  2.   Standardize Schedules/limit lunch periods at K-5 $60,000

The specialized lunch schedules which drive up general fund support are a luxury that we cannot support. If the sites feel they need to do this then the sites must fund the additional costs. PRPE Supports this proposal. 

3.   Increase participation of case management $80,000* 

This is not really a cut and is a "soft" proposal in that it is impossible to predict. Any increase in expenditure based on this proposal would need to happen after the fact. PRPE Rebuttal: This is an administrative responsibility and they should be held accountable for its success. 

4.   Drop in MAA revenues tied to decrease in MAA services $300,000* 

This is another "soft" cut. It is also complicated by the fact that cut backs in services then further lower MAA revenues thereby creating a feedback loop. PRPE: same as # 3 above. 

5.   Increase student teacher ratio at Paso Robles High School  $120,000-300,000* 

I endorse this recommendation to the extent we can accomplish this without eliminating classes simply on the basis of low enrollment. Some classes such as AP calculus may be smaller in size but still must be offered. I do believe that the high school is over staffed and reductions can and should be made.  PRPE Rebuttal: Class size is negotiable under the contract.

6.   Eliminate custodial supervisor $50,000

Already underway  PRPE Rebuttal:  As with the lead teachers at PRISC and Liberty , saying there is a savings is different from actually realizing savings.  We need to see the actual budget including staffing numbers and salaries in order to be convinced of the savings. 

7.   Charge all students, including poverty students, for extra-curricular transportation or eliminate completely.  $30,000 Not endorse. 

This is now a voluntary contribution and legally must remain so. Under the Santa Barbara . Decision we may not require payment for extra curricular activities including transportation. PRPE Rebuttal:  We must again state that the proposal does not, repeat, does not include “poverty” students and is in force in many districts around the state including San Luis Coastal. 

 8.  Find outside business support for Endeavor Academy . $18,000 Not endorse. 

Easily suggested, but not easily done on a basis that would assure year-to-year funding. Basically impractical.  PRPE Rebuttal:  it takes leadership to convince other organizations (i.e. Cal Poly and the city) that a partnership with the district would be mutually beneficial and if the relationship is one-sided it will not last. 

9.  Change funding for an elementary counselor to categorical funding. $35,000. Not endorse. 

Both middle schools as well as Paso High and Liberty have general fund counselors. The elementary counselors supports 6 schools and 2700 students. PRPE Rebuttal:  Although a worthwhile service none of our surrounding districts have elementary counselors and we know 6-12 counselors are mandated by the state. 

10.  Use of City busses. Savings  $67,000  Not endorse.

mpractical and opposed by the City and a violation of state law’s regarding contracting for services.  PRPE Rebuttal:  See # 8 above.  In addition, no city can deny services to its residents based on age and furthermore this is obviously not contracting for services because they already exist and the district can draw its bussing routes in whatever manner it chooses because home to school transportation is not mandated. 

11.  Block Grant Transfers. $195,000. Not endorse.

Categorical funds, by their very nature, are designed to provide extra services to the neediest students. Diverting these funds into the general fund would simply deprive our students most in need of extra need of that help.. This would, in my opinion, be both morally wrong and, in the end, self-defeating in that failure of these students to make adequate educational progress would lead to sanctions against the district.  PRPE Rebuttal:  The same district argument was made last year and the same rebuttal is appropriate.  Special Ed and Transportation now encroach upon the general fund in the millions of dollars that could be used for all of our students.  The state, through these transfers, now allows some of that encroachment to be shared by other categorical programs some of which these same particular groups of students also use.  Therefore, it is appropriate to share this onerous encroachment in as many categorical areas as possible as well as in general fund thereby increasing the funds available to all students.

Summary of reductions:

Of the eleven suggested reductions I have endorsed six. Of the six endorsed only two yield any predictable savings (custodial supervisor and common lunch schedules) of $110,000. Two others dealing with student/teacher ratios at Paso High and Liberty are potential savings of up to $300,000. The final two are impossible to predict and are therefore of little useful value until they actually yield results. PRPE Rebuttal: The only reason two of the potential savings areas are “soft” is because the administration has not exercised its ability to require compliance. 

Augmentations/New Programs in Rank Order. 

1. Maintenance personnel/HVAC $50,000 Endorse. PRPE Rebuttal:  We also endorse this augmentation if it can be demonstrated that as Dr. Gary Hoskins said during our meetings, “The savings in reduced outside contract costs will fund this increase.” 

2. Capital replacement fund. $385,000 Partially endorse. 

Fund now at $50,000 and then at the end of the budget year 07-08 roll any amount in excess of the 3% reserve for economic uncertainty into the 08-09 capital replacement fund.  PRPE Rebuttal:  This is prudent in light of the fact that there are one-time carryover funds for this purpose and the bond projects have yet to be started. 

2. Tech help desk $59,000 Endorse but not fund. PRPE Rebuttal:  The tech department and CERF Team needs a thorough cost/benefit analysis modeled on the WASC self-study before additional funding is requested. 

3. K-8 Reading Specialist funding. $40,000 Oppose 

The general fund already provides significant dollars to fund reading specialists. This does not increase services.  Its intent is to shift expenditures out of categorical funds into the general fund. I strongly advise against this.  PRPE agrees.

4.Second Opportunity Class at Middle School. $74,000 Oppose 

Of all of the recommendations, this is the least justified. Its cost is also underestimated by a minimum $25,000. Current enrollment in the existing Opportunity class is 16 which is under the 20 student ratio of every other intervention program. In the past, when there were two such classes they were consistently underenrolled. Students who present ongoing discipline problems should be sent to Phillips-Freedom.  PRPE agrees.

5. Pay for 4-5 AP scores. $10,000  Strongly endorsed and authorized last year. PRPE agrees that the superintendent should resolve this issue. 

6. Clerical Position Paso High. $37,000 Oppose 

Even though the high school enrollment has increased, there is not sufficient justification, absent a time/task study, for me to support this proposal. PRPE Rebuttal: The high school has a very large budget that includes substantial increases in counseling and EIA funding for this year.  It is again a question of priorities, this time at the site level.

7. Equal PIP funding $22,000 Endorse but not fund.  PRPE Rebuttal:  Again this is a question of priorities and if this fine program is more deserving than another current program it should be funded. 

8. Increase/add para educators El 9-12 $58,000 Oppose. 

Use categorical funds.  PRPE agrees. 

9. Green works $29,000 Oppose.

In a perfect world this is a great idea but given our limitations just doesn’t have a high priority. PRPE Rebuttal:  If the ADA recovered can fund this program it should continue.  In addition, the STRIVE program now serves 6 students and not one in the last two years has graduated.  The two rooms occupied now by STRIVE could accommodate 40 Liberty students.  If the STRIVE program moves, the Greenworks program could be accommodated at the normal 20 to 1 level along with another class that could provide more Liberty students with a richer educational experience. 

10.  System Administrator $53,000 Endorse but not fund

Nice and probably necessary but not a priority.  PRPE Rebuttal:  see #2 above. 

11. Restore 5% cut to athletic budget. $16,300 Oppose 

The athletic budget is adequately funded and needs no further augmentation.  PRPE agrees. 

12. Increased clerical time for K-5. $40,000 Oppose PRPE agrees. 

13. Increased custodial levels. $105,000 Endorse in concept but not fund.

14. Additional grounds $42,400 Endorse but not fund.  PRPE agrees.