Submitted by Superintendent Robert Collins
Grossmont Union
High School District

Budget and negotiations update
     This update will provide the District’s latest offer to bargaining units in an effort to preserve jobs during a period of unprecedented economic crisis. Let me begin by reviewing the current economic climate in education.
     Across the State, school district budgets have been reduced dramatically with subsequent cuts to both classified and certificated positions. Escondido has reduced teachers and counselors, Alpine Union teachers accepted a two-day furlough and classified staff a four-day furlough for the next two years.
     San Diego Unified School District is negotiating a four-day furlough with extensive cuts to the instructional program, while Poway is instituting a five-day furlough with layoff notices being sent to almost 300 teachers. Sweetwater has sent layoff notices to 226 teachers and 199 Cajon Valley teachers received notices.
     This scenario is being repeated in districts across the State. The economic crisis and reductions to school budgets are real.
     At the same time there have been important developments in the State’s economic outlook. On the positive side, the District is receiving Federal stimulus dollars for both Title 1 and Special Education. We expect to receive additional Federal Stabilization dollars in late May or early June.
     Unfortunately, the State’s economic health is dependent on the passage of six ballot measures on May 19th. The State is also facing an estimated $10 billion deficit for 2009-10 that will have to be accounted for in what is now being called a June Revise of the 2009-10 budget.
     Before discussing the new District offer, I want to comment on the use of the District’s reserves. There is a great deal of discussion regarding the current District reserves and their use to offset the budget crisis. That is exactly what the District is doing. $8 million has been budgeted from reserves to address the budget situation. Without those reserves, what is now a budgetary challenge would have been a budgetary disaster.
     We still maintain the reserve required by the State of 3 percent or $6.4 million and have budgeted an additional $4.1 to address any further budget shortfalls. This constitutes a 5.2 percent budget reserve. I need to remind everyone that reserves are also “one-time” funding. Once spent these funds no longer exist to sustain ongoing salaries.
     Needless to say, in these difficult economic times, we want to be very careful in maintaining emergency reserves sufficient to offset the State’s economic problems. We expect these problems to continue. As I said before, districts that failed to maintain appropriate reserves have been forced to layoff hundreds of employees and make drastic cuts in their instructional programs this year.

District makes an unprecedented offer to maintain jobs
     On May 7, the Board of Trustees will have to make difficult decisions regarding employee layoffs. In previous communications we discussed doing everything possible to mitigate the need to reduce school staff. I would like to inform you of the District’s last offer to each Bargaining Unit.
     The District is proposing a 2-day furlough for all teachers, classified staff and management employees. We will also agree to a restoration of those two days based on Federal stimulus dollars or other State funding restorations. This offer involves the use of reserves, Federal stimulus dollars and attrition through retirements and resignations.
     In San Diego and California, in this economic environment, this offer is unprecedented. In return, the District is proposing not “laying-off” any certificated or classified staff with the exception of R.O.P. and Adult School personnel where those cuts were the result of a 20 percent cut by the State. However, I will continue to try to address the cuts to R.O.P. and Adult School during the summer.
     In all of my communications to staff, I have emphasized the importance of our staff to the mission and vision of our District.
     I have also stressed our genuine concern for ensuring that we do everything possible to maintain our current employees. We have made this offer in the worst of economic environments and a time of great economic uncertainty. However, a genuine concern for the economic well-being of every employee remains the guiding principle behind this offer and our top priority.

     Robert Collins is the Superintendent of the Grossmont Union High School District.