School Board OK's 'Status Quo' Budget

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District isn't flush with funds, but for the first time in nearly a half-decade, the county's largest school district won't be making cuts.

The PVUSD Board of Trustees approved a "status quo" budget of about $170 million for the 2012-13 school year—basically, no change in funding.

The wildcard will be if Gov. Jerry Brown's tax measure on the November ballot goes through. If successful, it could bring funding to restore some programs cut over the past several years. But if the measure fails, the district is posed to take another multi-million dollar hit.

Read more about the breakdown and possible impact in this Santa Cruz Sentinel story.

But the mood was positive at the PVUSD School Trustees meeting Wednesday, where the budget was approved with a unanimous 5-0 vote. People were especially happy that the district preserved funding for middle school and high school sports, though those budgets remain meager.

"It’s still less than sufficient, but the good news reflects at least a stabilization … where they’re not facing any cuts," said Brett McFadden, chief business officer  for the school district.

Board President Leslie DeRose said sports are important to the district because students get a sense of community and a safe place to be, as well as motivation to be more studious.

"Athletics is not something any of us want to cut," she said.

Last year, the school district had to . This year appears more stable.

“I just want to say how pleased I am to see a little bit of positive in the budget,” DeRose said.

"To be able to have a balanced budget ... is a real feat," Trustee Willie Yahiro said.

In other news:

• The school board approved a change to the Advanced Placement curriculum at Watsonville High School. AP European History will be swapped out for AP World Civilizations. The class is offered to 10th grade students; they can earn college credit.
• The school board discussed the district's policy for using social media sites for educational purposes. As it stands, access to Facebook and other social media sites are blocked on the district's network to protect privacy and keep students focused on learning while on school campuses. The report included a reminder that school district employees are discouraged from being "friends" with current PVUSD students.
• Watsonville Charter School for the Arts will have a new school lunch menu starting in the fall. The board approved a one-year pilot program with Revolution Foods, Inc., that will provide students with vegetarian and vegan meal options. The company also will serve more locally grown fruits and vegetables. Parents and staff at the school are supportive of the trial program.