Big Cuts Haven't Come to Moraga Classrooms...Yet

The has so far managed to find ways to escape the budget sword hanging over so many other school districts these days, but school officials admit they can only dodge the blade so long.

“We’ve worked hard over the years to keep the cuts out of the classroom,” , superintendent of the Moraga School District, said recently. "Two thousand seven-08 was the last year we received every dollar appropriated and anticipated from the state."

Since 2007-08, school districts all across the state have had to deal with a deficit factor – the factor by which the district’s revenue limit is diminished.

“This school year, a dollar equals 82 cents,” Burns said. The compounding deficit factor ever since 2007-08 means that each year, the district has received less than anticipated from the state. In business, that would mean cutting back, but a school can’t cut back on its production of students, and the bulk of the district costs are contractually obligated and negotiated.

Many Moragans are feeling cutback fatigue, hearing over and over again that cuts are coming. That’s because every year since 2007-08, cutbacks to public education funding have been occurring.

To get a sense of what’s been lost thus far, the district has cut:

2007-08 Reductions

• Technology budget

2008-09 Reductions

• Half position at the District Office - receptionist
• Moraga Education Foundation repurposed Tech funding to core curriculum
• Full-time position in management – Director of Administrator Services

2009-10 Reductions

• 4.17 teachers (teachers through attrition)
• Student supply budget (PTA covered these costs)
• Teacher stipends and corresponding duties
• Moraga Education Foundation mini-grants funds were repurposed to core curriculum.
• 1 custodian (through attrition)

2010-11 Reductions

• Grade level enrichment programs funded by Moraga Education Foundation, such as the Bat Lady, Seed Secrets and Walk through the Revolution. These funds were repurposed to core curriculum.
• Librarian services reduced so that libraries are closed at all school sites one day per week
• K-1 music teacher.
• Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School technology coordinator (through attrition)
• 1 FTE maintenance worker (through attrition)
• Reduced student full-time administrator to .6 administrator
• Special Education expenses
• Student Support down to half day at elementary school sites.
• Art teacher at JM reduced to equivalent of 1/3 full-time employee.

Where does the money come from?

Kathy Bell, chief business officer for the district, provided a projected breakdown for this school year. State funding of the district’s revenue limit provides 56 percent of the Moraga School District funding; the federal government funds 4 percent; other state revenues (local property taxes, state lottery) provide 15 percent and private giving constitutes 25 percent of the district’s budget.

Next week’s board meeting will recommend new cutbacks based upon anticipated state revenue cuts. The board meeting will be held at the Joaquin Moraga auditorium on Tuesday, March 8, starting at 7:30 p.m.