[Editor’s Note: The President of the Teachers Union responds to the School District’s second interim budget report that was delivered at last night’s School Board meeting.]
The Los Angeles County Office of Education requires that school districts keep 3 percent of their budget in reserve.
For CCUSD, that works out to be just under $1.7 million. Their second interim report shows an ending balance of $12 million above and beyond that reserve.
That is real money. It should be spent providing the best education possible for our kids.
The District has not yet figured out the big question:
“If we are deficit spending, why does our ending balance keep growing?”
CCUSD claims to be in a deficit-spending pattern. But their ending balance keeps growing.
That is not the way deficit spending works at my house.
On the plus side, I do believe this new administration is sincere in wanting to address our sub-standard salaries.
Given that, we are happy to be patient – up to a point – for them to figure out what's going on with their finances.
What is beyond question, though, is the fact that our salaries are so far below the median in Los Angeles County that it is making it difficult to attract and keep top teachers. Beginning teacher salaries, for example, are 10 percent below the median and more than 20 percent below the highest paying districts.
If we want great teachers – isn’t that our goal? – we are going to have to raise salaries. For the first time in years, there is money available to do just that.
Mr. Mielke may be contacted at davidmielke@ccusd.org
