Manhattan Beach Unified School District’s Board of Trustees are looking toward cutting costs in books, supplies and services to retain at least 20 of the 30 teachers who received a pink slip last month, Superintendent Mike Matthews said.
“Our Board is clear that for our long-term fiscal health, we need to decrease our deficit by $2 million next year and find a way to do it, if at all possible, without losing our valuable staff,” Matthews said in a statement.
MBUSD’s budget, which last year fell into a deficit of $1.1 million, is at the risk of staying in the red if the expenses are not aligned with the adjusted revenue, which this year includes a $1.2 million loss in federal funds.
At a Board of Trustees workshop last Wednesday, Matthews and Deputy Superintendent Rick Bagley presented various cost-cutting options to reduce the deficit without the hard-hitting effect on personnel.
In the proposal, they recommended reducing spending on books and supplies—including computer software, office supplies and maintenance supplies—by $880,000. Proposed cuts in services, which include travels and conferences, repairs and independent contractors, accumulate to about $435,000.
Under the proposed adjustments, certified staffing reductions would be adjusted from 24.6 full-time equivalent positions to 8.8, which would save the district nearly $668,000. The proposal recommends two full-time reductions in classified staffing—a systems technician and an occupational therapy assistant—which is expected to free up about $98,000.
Additionally, the board members will meet with the Manhattan Beach City Council on April 22 to explore its land-use agreement with the city that could profit the district nearly $500,000.
Matthews noted that no decisions are yet final, and the Board of Trustees will continue developing the 2013-2014 budget throughout April and May. He said the board will begin rescinding pink slips once the state announces its revised budget in May.
