How to Meet the Challenges Caused By The Current Economy

By Bonnie Weidel

Holding on to curriculum options and optimum class sizes are a top priority in spite of budget cuts and uncertain funding ing future.

I think we do need to tighten in all respects: teachers and children help lighten the custodial loads; we already ask parents to ease our instruction budget by supplying pencils and erasers for their kids (did you realize that? And kleenex and crayons and felt pens?) Can this community afford vans for helping kids get to play fields or day care? We are forced to scan all parts of the educational system to see where and what we could tighten up or eliminate.

Unfortunately much of what the board does is reactive. We respond to cuts in funds by trimming staff in all areas; we hold up on program expansion; we enable private contractors to supply enrichment classes; we try to even out the cuts, keep it as level as possible. Unfortunately, too, we end up at the mercy of the state budget system, so that we are giving notices (the pink slip process) every spring pending news from the state.

The fact is that Benicia did not pass a parcel tax and the state changed tax rules on real estate complicating school funding. The BUSD budget depends on local taxation and national committments. Parents are fortunate in Benicia (and many like to say the realtors are fortunate) because we have a school district heavily supported by educated and creative residents. This education level means volunteers and an active Education Foundation.

It is possible that we need a total review of what our schools should basically supply, that enrichments and choices need to be retrained and even withdrawn from public school responsibility. But we won't solve these huge questions very quickly.

Much of Benicia's enrichment program is supported by parents who pay fees for athletics and music instruction. BUSD also benefits from contributions by Valero through the Good Neighbor Partnership funds. The recent changes in responsibilities shared with City of Benicia on field upkeep and trash collection are part of District efforts to cut expenditures.

For me? The current economy calls for continuous monitoring and for collaborations wherever possible with City, small business and skilled labor in all sorts of support, whether directed to facility maintenance, governance or program building. We need to eliminate waste wherever possible in overly priced or stocked textbook purchases (mandated by State, by the way) or going beyond staff to hire specialists (which we do little of). We definitely do not want to increase class sizes and we need to rethink the funding and staffing needs for special ed, kindergarten, Gate program options and the arts. Maintaining class size and problem solving learning opportunities means holding on to our experienced teaching staff.

We inch toward the expansion of educational opportunities and stay wary of the shortages. Do we use reserves? This tough question is asked often. But I cannot support dwindling reserves yet. Trim, volunteer, collaborate, be watchful. Because times ahead are full of questions for which we do not yet have answers.