LAKE COUNTY — With the state now two and a half months late passing a budget and no end in sight, schools throughout Lake County are starting the year amid financial uncertainty.
Lower enrollment numbers at schools on the Northshore already mean less money from state and federal sources, according to district superintendents in Upper Lake and Lucerne. Officials said staff layoffs countywide at the end of last school year were based on enrollment numbers and state budget projections. No state budget means administrators are spending cautiously, and hoping for no more program cuts.
“Categorical programs are not funded right now ? programs targeted for student support. Districts are paying up front and waiting for the money from the state. Our districts are in good enough shape to do this for the short term, but not for the long term,” Lake County Superintendent of Schools Dave Geck said.
While the numbers of students enrolled in the Kelseyville, Konocti and Middletown school districts are about the same as they were last year, Upper Lake Union High School District and Lucerne Elementary report declining enrollment.
Upper Lake Union High School District Superintendent Patrick Iaccino said his district welcomed approximately 10 fewer children than last year, although enrollment varies during the first few weeks of school. The district eliminated one teaching position and shut down its woodshop program because of reduced enrollment and bleak budget projections, according to Iaccino.
“When there”s a decline in enrollment, you keep a close eye on elective courses in terms of the number of students enrolled that are attracting dollars into the system, as opposed to how much you”re paying out,” Iaccino said.
Iaccino echoed Geck”s words when he said if the budget impasse goes much longer, districts may deplete reserve funds put aside for hard economic times.
“You start to have cash flow issues. We have to make sure we pay our venders on time and make sure we meet payroll. When you have a 5-percent reserve you have to start dipping into to meet those issues, you don”t have the reserves anymore,” Iaccino said.
Kelseyville Assistant Superintendent Kathy Garrison said the district isn”t spending reserves, but lost three teachers after eliminating 12 last year because enrollment was 80 students down. She said nine teachers were hired back using funds for special programs. Garrison said that leaves class sizes at their maximum.
“It makes it a guessing game for all us, not knowing what money is available,” Lucerne Elementary School District Superintendent Michael Brown said.
Geck said the most optimistic state budget projections include $2 billion in education cuts.
“Right now, everybody is so polarized that any kind of solution could include cuts bigger than that. We can”t cut at that level and maintain the quality education programs that we have now, and we”re trying to improve the quality. How can we improve if we can”t allocate funds to that?” Geck said.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
