ON THE AGENDA Here are some of...

ON THE AGENDA

Here are some of the items the Newport-Mesa Unified School

District board of trustees will be discussing tonight.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

The board of trustees will hold public hearings on the all-funds

tentative budget for the district and special-education budget and

service plans.

WHAT TO EXPECT

As required by state law, the district will hold a public hearing

on its 2004-05 all-funds tentative budget. Residents from the

district may appear and object to the budget or any items in the

budget.

The district will also hold a public hearing on its

special-education 2003-04 annual budget and service plans. The

trustees must hold the hearing before adopting last year’s budget.

The budget plan included $14,072,810 in revenue for special

education and $29,420,938 in expenditures. That left an encroachment

of $15,348,128 on the district’s general fund.

TEACHER TRAINING

Trustees will consider sending teachers to a series of workshops

-- the Systemic Utilization of Comprehensive Strategies for Ensuring

Student Success Project -- which would train teachers to work with

preschool and early elementary-aged children with autism.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The project was developed by the Orange County Superintendent of

Schools and the Regional Coordinating Council of Comprehensive System

of Personal Development Advisory Committee. It is designed to provide

information and training for teachers of autistic children.

For the next school year, the Orange County special-education

local plan areas have agreed to provide 80% of the funding for the

program. The county superintendent will pay the remainder and serve

as a facilitator for the program.

The memorandum of understanding the trustees will consider states

that the district will pay $6,188 for the program’s coordination. The

trustees are likely to approve the memorandum.

LINDBERGH SCHOOL

The Orange County Department of Education is asking for a one-year

extension of its lease of the district’s former Lindbergh School site

in Eastside Costa Mesa.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The district has been leasing a portion of the former Lindbergh

School to the county department of education for its “Inside the

Outdoors” program. Its current lease expires July 31, but the county

is asking for a one-year extension.

The county department of education has proposed a 32% reduction in

square footage used. Lease cost would be $41,031 for the year with an

additional $4,453 for deferred maintenance.

A sublease by Child Development Incorporated for a preschool at

the site will be addressed separately.

Trustees are expected to approve the lease extension.