SANTA PAULA : $13-Million Budget for Schools OKd

Trustees for the Santa Paula Elementary School District have approved a $13-million budget for next school year that trims three clerks and two maintenance workers from the payroll.

But administrators must wait until legislators resolve the state’s budget deficit before they know if the 3,250-student district’s new spending plan will remain intact.

“This is all subject to change,” said Randall C. Chase, who heads the district’s business office.

The budget, approved last week, calls for a reduction of about $200,000 in spending, the second straight year that trustees have been forced to reduce expenditures.

To balance its budget, the trustees approved spending $111,000 in reserve funds, leaving its contingency reserve at $365,000, or 2.8% of the general fund.

Last year, the district cut $595,000 from the budget, forcing the layoff of eight teachers, a principal and a purchasing agent, Chase said.

“We took a big hit last year,” he said.

This year, however, the district was able to implement its cuts without affecting the classroom.

The trustees also approved a request to ask state education officials for a waiver from $89,000 in penalties assessed the district when classes exceeded the permissible size of 30 students.

Several classes surpassed the maximum when an unexpectedly large number of children of migrant workers enrolled in school this year, Chase said.