The message below is from Dr. Joe Jaconette, the superintendent of the Orinda Union School District (OUSD), from an email on April 12, 2012. We thought you might like to have some information on what’s happening with the school budget and better understand what the dramatic changes proposed by the Governor to K-12 funding in California could mean for our K – 8 grade students. The article has been reprinted with permission from OUSD.

What is the “Weighted Student Funding Formula” and how will it affect future budgets for the Orinda Union School District? This happens to be the $3.5 million dollar question.

Beginning with the 2012-13 budget year, the Governor is proposing an entirely new funding method for all school districts throughout the State of California. This proposal is referred to as the Weighted Student Funding Formula. The formula begins with a ‘base grant’ amount of $4,920 per average daily attendance (ADA). Added to the base will be a ‘supplemental grant’ which is based on the district’s English Language Learner count and free and reduced-price meal eligible students. There will be ‘concentration grants’ that will be available for those districts with more than 50% of their student population identified as English Language Learners and free reduced-price meal recipients. The new funding model would be phased in over a six year period with a ‘hold harmless’ clause for the 2012-13 budget year.

Using the most current guidelines regarding this funding model, the Orinda Union School District could be faced with a reduction in funding of an estimated $3,544,787 by the year 2017-18. Fifteeen of the 18 school districts in Contra Costa County stand to lose significant funds under this formula. On March 13th the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education took testimony on the Governor’s Weighted Student Formula. They took no action to approve or disapprove, but agreed that because the proposal is a major change to existing policy, it is an issue that should be heard through the regular legislative process.

In addition, the Governor’s January Budget Proposal for 2012-13, provides virtually no increases in education funding. And, once again, the proposal includes so-called trigger language should a proposed tax initiative not be passed by voters this coming November. The trigger language could automatically be imposed, resulting in another mid-year cut of $370 per student. This loss of funding is estimated to be $861,360 for the Orinda Union School District. This is the situation we find ourselves in this year as OUSD will lose $117,000 in mid-year trigger cuts of state funding.

The next “official” budget update from the Governor’s Office will be presented in the May Revision which is scheduled to be presented in mid-May.