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2013-2014 Budget Update

2013-2014 Adopted Budget Calendar

Legislators Serving the Beaverton School District

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March 4, 2013

Today, legislative leaders for the Joint Committee on Ways and Means released their 2013-2015 budget proposal for K-12 Education. The proposed funding level is the equivalent of $6.75 billion including $6.55 billion in general funds/lottery funds and $200 million in proposed savings from PERS reforms.It is a significant improvement over the budget proposed in November.

We are encouraged by the co-chairs’ budget proposal to prioritize K-12 education, but there is still much work to be done by the Legislature to secure this $6.75 billion funding level.

In the Beaverton School District, the $6.75 billion funding level translates to an estimated $5 million in reductions for the 2013-2014 school year, which could include further cuts to teaching positions and even larger class sizes.However, the Beaverton School Board has authorized a local option levy for the May 21, 2013 ballot that if passed, could generate an estimated $15 million a year (five year levy), providing the District with about $10 million to prevent cuts to teacher positions, restore some previously cut teacher positions and address some extreme class sizes.

We all agree that our continual reductions have not been good for our students. The past several years have been extremely challenging for staff, our schools and our community. This past year has been monumentally difficult. While there will not be a quick fix, there is a great sense of hope that we can change the downward financial spiral into a state of financial health over time. It needs to start now!

We must continue to aggressively advocate for stable and adequate funding in our state, and seek local support. Legislative leaders have taken some important steps with their K-12 Education funding announcement today.It can be the start to a long-term strategy to reinvest in schools and children.

Please continue to speak or write to your legislators on behalf of the Beaverton School District and K-12 education. It is making a difference in school funding.

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Information from the February 12, 2013 Budget Listening & Learning Session

• Superintendent's Listening & Learning Session Presentation
• State School Funding Scenario
• February 12, 2013 Superintendent's Budget Listening & Learning Session Recording

For up-to-date budget information, please visit the District Annual Budget page.

Have a question? A Comment? A Suggestion? Please complete the Budget Suggestion Form

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Information from the January 22, 2013 Budget Listening & Learning Session:

Superintendent's Listening & Learning Session Presentation - January 22, 2013

Parent & Community Questions and Answers - January 22, 2013

SAVE THE DATE: Budget Listening & Learning Session - Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. at Beaverton High School.

For up-to-date budget information, please visit the District Annual Budget page.

Have a question? A Comment? A Suggestion? Please complete the Budget Suggestion Form

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The School Board recently received a report outlining the financial implications of Governor Kitzhaber’s Proposed Budget on the Beaverton School District. It is sobering information to say the least. K-12 education’s share of the state budget has dropped from 45% in 2003-05 to 37.5% in 2013-15 (as proposed by the Governor). We must let our legislators know this is unacceptable.

The following funding scenarios were shared and the topic of a potential local option levy was also discussed.

Funding Scenarios	Beaverton SD Impact
$6.15 Billion K-12 State School Fund	($23 Million)
$6.15 Billion K-12 State School Fund + PERS Reform	($15 Million)
$6.4 Billion K-12 State School Fund + PERS Reform	($7 Million)
$6.4 Billion K-12 State School Fund + PERS Reform + Local Option Levy	+$3-6 Million

The complete Powerpoint presentation is available on the District Annual Budget page.

While the School Board did not commit to a local option levy, they are interested in discussing it again in January 2013. A May local option levy could generate an estimated $10 - 13 million in 2013-2014. Determining the level of community support and the feasibility of a campaign under a very short timeline will need to be explored further.

We know this is just the beginning of the state’s budgeting process and the Legislature will convene in early February to allocate all state budgets. Let me assure you again that we will be very active in working with the Governor, legislators and school districts as the state budgeting process unfolds.

Please share this information broadly in your community circles and advocate for adequate school funding. Our state legislators need to hear from our communities that education is a priority.

The District’s Internal Budget Team will start work on the 2013-2014 budget in mid-January. Progress updates will be sent to you after each team meeting. Their work will be completed in late February to enable the staffing process to begin in March.

Please stay informed and engaged as we move forward. There will be two Budget Listening & Learning Sessions: January 22, 2013 at Aloha High School and February 12, 2013 at Beaverton High School. Mark your calendars now to attend.