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Tucson Unified initiates school-based budgeting for 2009-2010

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Chyrl Lander, (520) 225-6437, chyrl.lander@tusd1.org
Posted on: March 10, 2009

Tucson Unified Schools is initiating school-based budgeting for 2009-2010 to assist the district in determining how limited resources are prioritized given an anticipated reduction in state funding of between $30 million and $63 million. 

In spite of the fact that Tucson Unified began fiscal year 2009 with a well-balanced budget and realized more than $6 million in carry forward monies, the current year state budget deficit required the district to give back more than $7 million in January. Further, next year's state budget deficit is nearing $3 billion requiring all school districts and charter schools in the state to plan for the worst in fiscal year 2010. 

In order to plan for a difficult FY 2010, Tucson Unified is asking the entire community to assist in making the difficult decisions. Central Office budget reduction recommendations will be presented to the Governing Board this week, and the Budget Advisory Committee continues to prioritize needs for next year.

Site-based decisions represent the values of the Governing Board and Superintendent Elizabeth Celania-Fagen. Tucson Unified is the second largest school district in the state of Arizona and encompasses more than 240 square miles. Each of the district's 105 traditional schools is part of a unique community with unique needs. The Governing Board believes the needs of the district's schools can best be addressed at the school level.

"Each individual school site has the most information in making budget decisions for their local school communities," said Bonnie Betz, Chief Financial Officer. Therefore, each of the district's schools will be allotted a certain number of points and school sites will be able to make budget decisions in the best interest of their students and their local communities.

School positions will be assigned point values. For example, a teacher may be 1 point; a principal may be 1.6 points. If an elementary school is given 18 points it will be the responsibility of the school staff, working with its site council, to determine staffing for next year. This site-based budget process includes:

• Providing to each traditional elementary, middle, and high school, a budget development template that includes:
  • a point total calculated on the FY 2010 projected enrollments and the FY 2009 budget allocation formulas;
  • the school's point value at a Level 1 reduction of $30 million and the point value at a Level II reduction of $63 million; and,
  • the necessary definitions, the point values of each school staff position, guidelines, expectations and recommendations.
• Scheduling a district-wide principal workshop for Thursday, March 12, to allow practice in developing a mock school-based budget
• Scheduling site council trainings regarding the budget development process.
• Providing an update of these efforts to the Governing Board and the Budget Advisory Committee this week.
• Continuing to inform the community of these efforts at this week's and next week's budget forums, which will be 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the following schools:
  • Wednesday, March 11, Tucson High Magnet School, 400 N. Second Ave.
  • Thursday, March 12, Catalina Magnet High School, 3645 E. Pima St.
  • Thursday, March 19, Cholla Magnet High School, 2001 W. Starr Pass Blvd.

Given the potential enormity of the budget reductions for next year, the leadership of Tucson Unified believes school-based budgeting will ensure that the district's resources are allocated where they are needed the most.

For more information, call Communications & Media Relations at 225-6437.