Schools
BHUSD Plans Future Amid State Budget Crisis
District officials are holding a conference Monday to get public input on a long-term strategy for running the city's public schools.
The news that Gov. Jerry Brown has because of Republican unwillingness to place his proposed tax extensions on the ballot is bad news for California schools. It means even deeper cuts to already-reduced funding of education.
The Beverly Hills Unified School District is fortunate: It is a district, so it gets its funding primarily from local property taxes. The majority of California districts are so-called revenue limit districts, funded by a per-pupil allotment.
But BHUSD does get some state funding, which is likely to be cut or even eliminated as Brown works to erase an expected $20 billion state deficit.
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It is in this context that I recommend parents attend an important district meeting being held from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday in the cafeteria. The Educational Futures Conference marks the first step of validating the BHUSD’s existing “Strategic and Facility Master Plan” that is expected to guide the district over the next two decades.
“This planning process requires involvement by all facets of the school community,” Superintendent Dick Douglas said in an invitation sent to city officials and PTA leaders. The morning discussions are expected to focus on national and state trends in education as well as the process of finalizing the strategic plan.
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The national educational planning firm of DeJong Richter has been hired to develop the master plan and will help lead the conference, Douglas said. The firm’s website describes its work for BHUSD:
Like may other school districts in California, BHUSD faces some of the same issues of aging facilities and shifting demographics. The plan will include the development of educational framework, educational specifications, educational adequacy assessments, enrollment projections, GIS [Geographic Information Systems] analysis and community engagement.
The meeting will also touch on spending plans for the district's $334 million .
“It is important for us to collaborate on a vision for the district’s future, particularly as we plan the spending of our bond funds for future generations,” Board of Education member Myra Lurie said.
For more information or to RSVP, contact Pam Kraushaar at the district office, pkraushaar@bhusd.org.
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