Comments on: Is it time for OUSD’s unusual budgeting system to become policy?

By: Jim Mordecai

Jim Mordecai — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:57:52 +0000

Livegreen:

As ADA funding is over 90% of the District’s income, cuts to that funding would impact school site budgets. School Services of California states: OUSD per student funding ADA as $5,239 in 10-11 and reduction to $4,890 in 11-12. Sorry but my note did not include the source but whether accurate reflects how funding of school sites would be impacted when the State reduces what it pays for ADA.

I also believe that whatever the figure given, the $6 million on debt and interest is not included in the calculation and that $6 million is subtracted before the State forwards its ADA payment.

Jim Mordecai

By: Livegreen

Livegreen — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:08:35 +0000

Thanks Jim & Alice. There is one other item you might b able to help me with. Do you know anything about schools with full or near full enrollment having their budgets & per pupil funding cut the past couple years?

By: Alice Spearman

Alice Spearman — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 06:37:42 +0000

@Jim & Livegreen,
1. Yes the funding payment was reported in finance committee meeting.Mr. Hal is very transparent! And Yes the portable issue was reported at facilities meeting some time ago. However the number should be shown in in our facilities master plan current report.
2.Livegreen, now is the time to pay special attention to the finance committee. It will continue thru the next 3 months per board recomendation. Topics will include RBB and the aspects, what site funding may look like in the future, and what autonomy looks like for sites with their budgets.
It needs to be known that all board committee’s with the exception of Finance and Saftey committees will be suspended for six month per recommendation of Superintendent to Board Leadership, stating it takes too much time from staff and other board members state they want to weigh in on conversations held during meetings. A final reccomendation to board policy will be made in June, 2012. Board meetings now will be more frequent, with special meetings scheduled to accomodate certain issues and will be lengthy! (Bring food and drink)
The announcements of the special meetings of the Finance Committee and Saftey Committee, (dealing with student matters, will probably meet on a regular basis every other Tuesday mainly in closed session) finannce committee dates will be announced at our Annual Organizational Meeting, January 3, 2012. I am uncertain of the time right now.
At this meeting there will be elections for board leadership once more. The public may be interested in this item also.

By: Jim Mordecai

Jim Mordecai — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:41:53 +0000

Livegreen:

I don’t have any short cuts. I use the search engine on the District webpage. But, if that doesn’t work, I’ve sometimes just slim each and every board meeting or sometimes meetings of a subcommittee that doesn’t meet as often as the Board.

Perhaps a short cut would be directing a specific question to a department head such as asking Mr. Hal for specific information.

For example, I am curious if the case is that money that the District borrowed from the building fund short term never had to be reported because the timing was such that the money was replaced when the state provided the money it had delayed paying prior to having to file an interim report.

Jim Mordecai

By: Livegreen

Livegreen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:09:55 +0000

Alice, Some time ago at a Board meeting you asked that OUSD inform the Board how many schools still have longstanding portables. Did they report back to you &/or the Board w/this info? Or not?

By: Livegreen

Livegreen — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:05:53 +0000

Jim and Alice, Thank you for your further details and explanations. I am just gtg into the financial docs as I see links from the Budget Dept and Strategic Plan pages. I have only started going back through Board minutes. I was hoping to not have to go back as far back as Jim did (thanks Jim).

Jim, do you have a short cut back?

Alice, Thank you for your insight.

By: J.R.

J.R. — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 06:23:55 +0000

Jim,
I agree, and it also clouds the salary differential as well. Which is not as large as it looks at first glance. My point is, when taken in conjunction with other information collectively is that OUSD has a over-spending problem, a big one(when you compare district budget size and ADA) :

http://californiaschildren.typepad.com/californias-children/2010/07/the-list-cas-most-fiscally-unsound-school-districts.html

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/04/29/2715956/interactive-compare-employee-benefit.html?appSession=349260863854567

http://www.eastbayconservative.com/2008/10/31/oakland-where-property-taxes-soar-and-the-city/

The taxpayers are about to be taxed again, and still it won’t be enough.

By: Alice Spearman

Alice Spearman — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:39:38 +0000

Livegreen,
1. There is a 3% Reserve required by our board, the state only requires a 2% reserve. This was done especially because there are so many unknowns and the district tries to cover expendextures from schools who “hav financial challanges” that central always covers. (like they decide not to hire security but have to have one, school secretaries but must have one. In the case of McClymonds, there is need for a school secretary and AP classes they could not fund, Lafayette could not fund a security offices and desperatley need one). I suspect the board will didrect the Superintendent and staff to fill these positions in the next semester.
2. Qualified means we will meet our financial obligations but we still have financial challangesbecause of state deferment.
3. In the past there were inter fund borrowing to make the last payroll, however the funds were paid back before October.It is all legal, this board will not particiape in any trasaction that will put us in financial jeporady from the state again! This year we will borrow from the county, there will not be a need to inter fund trans fer, it is called a TRANS. No interest is applied I believe.
Follow the cash flow reports given during the Personnel and Finance committee. We do get the reports monthly.

By: Jim Mordecai

Jim Mordecai — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 01:30:43 +0000

Livegreen:
From 5/25/11 power point presentation to the School Board on the 2010-11 3rd Interim Financial Report
Executive Summary
 The District is projected to meet its required 2% reserve for economic uncertainty for 2010-2011.
 Staff is recommending submittal of the Third Interim
Financial Report to the Alameda County Office of Education as a “Qualified” certification.
 Due to the State continuing to defer payments to school districts this year, the District is projecting the General Fund to have a cash shortfall of $21.6 million.
 The Board has approved temporary interfund borrowing of $25 million from the Building Fund to cover the shortterm.

Jim Mordecai

By: Jim Mordecai

Jim Mordecai — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:57:43 +0000

Livegreen:

First Interim Report is a report on actions taken in the First Interim. Curious if the same question is asked in the Second Interim Report and if the answer stays the same.

The State, I believe, starts delaying its payments after the First Interim Report and the need to cover that situation then is pressed on the Districts.

Jim Mordecai