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Mountain View Whisman is looking to slash at least $8 million from its budget, which would come on top of $7.4 million in cuts that the school board approved back in January.
Faced with stagnating property tax revenue, administrators recommended to the school board last week that the district move ahead with $8 million to $8.5 million in reductions. Board members supported the proposal, while emphasizing the importance of keeping the needs of students front and center.
“I want to prioritize classroom teaching and learning in our district budget and also direct services with our most vulnerable students,” trustee Devon Conley said at the Sept. 3 meeting. “And we need to ensure that our budget is healthy and stable long term.”
District administrators plan to bring back recommended cuts at a Nov. 5 meeting. The board would then take a final vote by Jan. 14.
Unlike the cuts approved earlier this year, which mostly affected district office staff, this next round of reductions are likely to impact employees working directly with students, district leaders have said previously. To determine where to make cuts, administrators plan to set a specific staffing allocation for each school, based on the number of students enrolled and their level of need.
“Over the years, we have invested significantly in programs, interventions, supports and people,’ district spokesperson Shelly Hausman said in an email. “At the same time, we have not seen a corresponding improvement in student achievement, particularly for our most vulnerable students.”
Trustee Lisa Henry said that while budget cuts are difficult to make, the district’s approach was a thoughtful one. She praised considering budget priorities holistically, rather than in silos.
“I like that we want to go in the direction that all the things we’re doing are really tied together,” Henry said.
Budget challenges appear likely to persist
Mountain View Whisman is primarily funded through local property taxes, which are based on the assessed value of properties within the district’s attendance boundaries. While assessed values were increasing for many years, they have begun to stagnate – and are expected to stay that way for at least the next several years, Chief Business Officer Rebecca Westover told the board at the Sept. 3 meeting.
“Every year we wait narrows the range of choices available to us,” she said. “Acting now keeps them open.”
The district’s current projections show that its reserves will be depleted by the 2031-32 school year – and that’s without accounting for any raises for teachers and other staff, Westover said, adding that this wasn’t a realistic assumption.
Trustee Bill Lambert agreed, arguing that attracting and retaining teachers should be a priority for the district.
“It’s not only about breaking even, but also [being] able to incentivise and treat our teachers and staff with respect,” he said.
Given the prospect of salary increases in the coming years, Lambert said he was open to the district cutting more than $8 million, if needed.
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