FROM LEFT: A school bus leaves and another arrives at Imperial High School on Friday in Imperial. (Joselito Villero) |
School districts will need to take a long hard look at transportation needs in coming months as state funding dwindles this fiscal year and disappears completely next year.
Fifty percent of transportation funding from the state was cut as part of trigger cuts for this fiscal year, and 100 percent of funding for next year has been cut, said Arnold Preciado, Imperial County Office of Education assistant superintendent of business services.
County school transportation funding cuts from the state for next year are close to $1.3 million.
“School districts will need to define and evaluate the needs of their students and may be required to transfer students with special needs,” he said.
Transportation costs are split into two categories, home to school and special education.
The school district with the biggest cut to transportation is the San Pasqual Valley Unified School District in Winterhaven with $241,000 cut this year and a total cut of $480,000 for fiscal year 2012-2013, Preciado said.
“It’s becoming more and more difficult to maintain the same levels of operations that our school districts, students and families have received in the past,” he added.
What the state isn’t providing in funding, districts will have to make up by dipping into the general fund.
Calexico Unified faces a $93,987 cut in transportation funding for the 2011-2012 school year while the next fiscal year will see $187,974 cut, Calexico Unified business manager Mei Randle said.
It remains unclear how long the loss of funding may last.
“In comparison to our budget, the loss of all revenue is a problem, especially in this day and age,” Randle said. “Our budget is $76 million this year, and we’re talking $200,000 in cuts. We didn’t receive a large amount from the state, but even taking away what was cut affects our general fund where we are deficient.”
About 1 percent of the Calexico Unified student population uses transportation services on average.
Calexico Unified Superintendent Richard Fragale said while the school is obligated to provide special education transportation services, the school board may have to change its policy on home to school transportation.
He said various options to alleviate the impacts of the cuts are being discussed, such as matching up vacation schedules countywide or paying parents of special need students to drive the student to school.
“We’re looking at everything we can look at,” he said. “It’s going to be an ongoing battle, and we’ll be having parents back to talk again when we bring up the issue of transportation.”
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
Fifty percent of transportation funding from the state was cut as part of trigger cuts for this fiscal year, and 100 percent of funding for next year has been cut, said Arnold Preciado, Imperial County Office of Education assistant superintendent of business services.
County school transportation funding cuts from the state for next year are close to $1.3 million.
“School districts will need to define and evaluate the needs of their students and may be required to transfer students with special needs,” he said.
Transportation costs are split into two categories, home to school and special education.
The school district with the biggest cut to transportation is the San Pasqual Valley Unified School District in Winterhaven with $241,000 cut this year and a total cut of $480,000 for fiscal year 2012-2013, Preciado said.
“It’s becoming more and more difficult to maintain the same levels of operations that our school districts, students and families have received in the past,” he added.
What the state isn’t providing in funding, districts will have to make up by dipping into the general fund.
Calexico Unified faces a $93,987 cut in transportation funding for the 2011-2012 school year while the next fiscal year will see $187,974 cut, Calexico Unified business manager Mei Randle said.
It remains unclear how long the loss of funding may last.
“In comparison to our budget, the loss of all revenue is a problem, especially in this day and age,” Randle said. “Our budget is $76 million this year, and we’re talking $200,000 in cuts. We didn’t receive a large amount from the state, but even taking away what was cut affects our general fund where we are deficient.”
About 1 percent of the Calexico Unified student population uses transportation services on average.
Calexico Unified Superintendent Richard Fragale said while the school is obligated to provide special education transportation services, the school board may have to change its policy on home to school transportation.
He said various options to alleviate the impacts of the cuts are being discussed, such as matching up vacation schedules countywide or paying parents of special need students to drive the student to school.
“We’re looking at everything we can look at,” he said. “It’s going to be an ongoing battle, and we’ll be having parents back to talk again when we bring up the issue of transportation.”
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
