A “budgetary stabilization plan” designed to reduce or eliminate deficit expenditure in the Unified Placentia-Yorba Linda school district was presented to administrators at a meeting earlier this month.
The plan, according to Joan Velasco, an interim assistant superintendent of administrative services, is strongly based on staff discounts because 85% of district spending are wages and benefits of employees.
This year’s deficit for the 22,700 student district is estimated at $ 11.4 million, going to $ 14.5 million next year. The deficit planned for the year that followed then fell to nearly $ 9 million.
No measure has been taken on the plan. A public hearing on next year’s budget will take place on June 3.
Velasco told trustees that the objectives of the plan were to “prioritize students’ success and maintain essential services” and to “guarantee tax responsibility by identifying non -essential areas for reductions, while minimizing negative impacts on students and staff”.
If it is implemented as indicated, the plan would allow the $ 8.4 million district, reducing the deficit of next year to almost $ 9.6 million, based on the district receiving a cost of living of 2.43% in state financing.
The deficit would fall to around $ 4 million the following year, based on an increase in the cost of living of 3.52%, and a surplus of $ 2.4 million would be carried out in three years, based on an increase in the cost of living of 3.63%.
However, a drop of only 1% in the cost of living cost of state financing would lead to continuous deficits in the coming years, scheduled for $ 6.9 million in 2026-2027 and 3.4 million dollars for 2027-28, instead of the adaptation of $ 2.4 million based on the adjustment of the cost of living of 3.63%.
The district end -of -year reserve sales are 15% planned for this year; 13.1% next year; 12.3% June 30, 2027; And 13% on June 30, 2028, as part of the expected cost of living, and a little less in the two furthest years under the reduction of 1%.
The State requires that a reserve of 3% and the district policy is looking for a minimum reserve of 5%.
The $ 8.4 million in the reduction plan would be obtained by $ 6.5 million in wages and certified teachers, the rest of the classified wages and benefits and various non-personal reductions.
Personnel losses would include around 85 lessons, four classified management stations and five, including some positions which are currently vacant. Some 94 probation teachers have been informed of layoffs and around 30 teachers should retire by June 30.
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The administrators of the unified school district of Beverly Hills appointed Alex Cherniss as a superintendent on April 10 during a 3-2 vote. It should start serving the district of 3,300 students and four campuses on June 1.
Cherniss began as a Superintendent of Placentia-Yorba Linda District on May 1, 2023, during a 5-0 vote. His contract was modified in November to demand four votes for dismissal during a 3-2 vote, and was put on leave paid on December 19 during a vote of 5-0.
Jim Drummond is a longtime resident of Yorba Linda. He gives his opinion on local questions every week. Send an e-mail to jimdrummond@hotmail.com.
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