Unification may solve district's budget woes
Guest opinions
By Evan D. Masyr Special to the Acorn

I became involved with the Pleasant Valley School Board's issues last March because I was very skeptical that schools needed to be closed. I questioned the board's rush to make a decision before looking at every alternative. I am the chief financial officer of a publicly-traded corporation and urged the school board to form a finance committee.

Since then, two schools have been closed, the charter school Camarillo Academy of Progressive Eduction has pulled over 300 students from the district and a finance committee has been formed. I have spent time looking at the financial statements and the budget of the district and have several conclusions.

First of all, there is no quick fix or stockpile of cash to give the teachers their deserved raises. The finance committee is formalizing some recommendations to the Superintendent Luis Villegas and the school board. These recommendations will enhance revenue and reduce expenses but, in many cases, are not very material and will take time for us to see these results.

More problematic is the current state budget crisis. PVSD is expecting to receive at least $305 less per student next year. That equates to a reduction of state funding to PVSD of approximately $2 million. My worry is that next year, instead of talking about raises for our teachers, we will be discussing reductions in salary, programs and staff. This is not something unique to PVSD; all school districts in the state will be wrestling with similar issues as funding for education continues to decline.

This community does have one extraordinary opportunity that needs timely consideration. If unification is approved by the California State Board of Education in March and goes to vote and passes in November, the Education Code requires that the current salary and benefit structure of the teachers at PVSD be brought up to the higher OUHSD salary structure. So the quickest way to get a significant raise to the teachers is through unification. The funding for this raise comes from increased revenues from the state paid to unified districts. The California State Board of Education applies a formula to determine funding to newly unified districts. Under this formula, which would be based on today's rate before the reduction due to the state budget crisis, the newly created district would receive an additional $900 per student, or $5.5 million. The newly unified district would have the highest funding rate of any unified district in Ventura County.

I know that many people in the community have said, 'If this board cannot run a kindergartenthrougheighth-grade district, how can we trust them with a high school?' I have had those same feelings at times. However, if unification passes, an entirely new school board for the unified district will need to be elected. The community can speak with their votes to ensure that the board of a unified school district is comprised of the right people for the job.

Even though there has been much debate and discussion by parents, teachers, union representatives, school board members and district staff, it has become increasingly clear to me that everyone in the community has the same goals and objectives.

Above all else, the education of our children is the number one priority. But their education does not happen on its own. Our kids need qualified and motivated teachers. While the teachers are looking for a raise and increased contributions to their benefits, it does not appear that the district has the money right now.

The quickest and most effective way to get the teachers their raise is to have a unified school district. I urge everyone in this community, including the teachers and the union, to support unification for the overall financial health of this district, as well as the educational benefits for our children that are inherent in a unified school district.

Masyr is the chief financial officer of Camarillo-based Salem Communications Corp.