Per-pupil funding up, special programs shorted in budget

Marisa O’Neil

Schools will receive $216 more per student next year, but funding for

some special programs will be cut under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s

proposed budget released Friday.

The budget also contained a few more details about a plan

announced Thursday that would give schools an additional $2 billion

for the 2004-05 school year, which is about half of what the state

owes them. It also proposes a shift of money away from many

categorical programs.

“What we see [in the budget] is a pretty decent job of reflecting

what they told us earlier this week,” Newport-Mesa Unified School

District Supt. Robert Barbot said. “No one wants to lose [nearly] $2

billion, but it seems to be a fair approach to the problem.”

Under the proposed budget, which still requires a two-thirds vote

of the Legislature to pass, per-student funding would increase from

$9,398 this year to $9,614 next year. Last year, schools got $9,112

per student.

“California spends almost $800 less [per pupil than the U.S.

average],” said Patty Christiansen, Harbor Council PTA president. “Of

the 10 most populous states in the union, California’s education

expenditure per pupil ranks next to last. It is encouraging to see

that Gov. Schwarzenegger’s plan includes a $200 per pupil funding

increase.”

Education and city and county government all take some hits in the

budget, designed to help the state dig itself out of what California

Secretary for Education Richard Riordan called “the greatest fiscal

crisis in history of any state.”

“I’m proud to be part of such an administration,” Riordan said at

a press conference on Friday. “I’m proud of what [the governor] has

done so far. He took the smoke and mirrors away from the budget and

put it in the light of day. I’m very satisfied with the fact we’re

increasing per-pupil spending in education.”

Because the Newport-Mesa Unified School District figured its

budget without counting on money from the state, overall operations

should see little, if any, difference, said Paul Reed, assistant

superintendent of business services.

Categorical programs, which receive state funds and must operate

under certain mandated guidelines, are more likely to suffer. Special

education, educational development and gifted education programs are

all considered categorical.

Of 88 state programs, 22 could be collapsed and another 17

consolidated, Riordan said. The hope, he said, is to give schools

more financial control.

“It’s more about a management change,” Riordan said. “Local

districts would hold schools accountable, and we would hold districts

accountable for how they hold schools accountable. It’s not people in

Sacramento saying, ‘We know more about what’s good for your school.’

That’s never worked and never will work.”

* MARISA O’NEIL covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4268 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.