Following are some frequently asked questions about the PUSD budget. New information will be added weekly. For questions or comments, please email publicinfo@pleasanton.k12.ca.us.

(Posted January 15, 2009)
What is the difference between the operating budget and the capital budget?
Why does it cost the District more to operate each year?
How do PUSD salaries compare to those of surrounding districts?
Isn’t class size reduction funded by the state? 
Why do we have “late start Wednesdays?”
Are there elementary physical education teachers?
What does PUSD’s counseling program look like?
Does PUSD receive more money than neighboring districts?
Why aren’t programs like Adult Education or Kids’ Club on the list of reductions?
Which districts around us receive funding from a parcel tax?  How much is it, and what do they use it for?
Why is the District still in a lawsuit over the Neal property?
Why is the District still spending money on construction projects?

What is the difference between the operating budget and the capital budget?
The operating budget supports the day-to-day operations of the school system, including staff salaries, supplies, textbooks, and materials, and other operational needs of schools and offices. The operating budget’s General Fund receives money primarily from state taxes through the revenue limit (dollars per student).  The capital budget supports construction and other major projects related to schools and other facilities. It receives money through the Measure B bond passed in 1998 and through developer fees.  The capital budget is legally restricted to capital projects only and cannot pay for operating costs.

Why does it cost the District more to operate each year?
Historically and contractually, teachers move along a salary schedule based on years of experience and units of continuing education.  Credit for years of experience (up to 20) allows an employee to “move down” the schedule (step).  Every 15 units of continuing education (up to 75) allow an employee to move across the schedule (column).  The increase in salary from one step or column to the next varies from 0% to about 3%.  The current salary schedule goes from $60,371 (Step 1, Column 1) to $98,045 (Step 20, Column 5).  For classified and management employees, there is a salary schedule that provides a 2% increase for years of experience up to 6 years.  The Superintendent is not on a salary schedule.  His salary is determined by a contract with the Board.   The year-to-year increased cost due to this movement on the salary schedule is about $1.5 million.  The District must budget an additional $500,000 annually to cover increases in cost for utilities, insurance, supplies and equipment, and other contracted services.  Consequently, if there is no additional money provided by the state, the District must make $2 million in reductions from current levels to provide a balanced budget for the following year.

How do PUSD salaries compare to those of surrounding districts?
There are two types of salary schedules found in surrounding districts.  One type shows an employee’s salary, and the district provides benefits over and above this.  The other type of schedule is what is used in Pleasanton Unified where the salary shown is what the employee receives, and they must buy health benefits out of this amount (benefits “on the schedule”).  A family of two would pay about $1000 to $1200 per month for health insurance.  Benefit costs, of course, vary depending on number of dependents and coverage chosen, and employees who have coverage through a spouse/partner would not need to purchase medical benefits. 

It has been the Board’s goal to have the highest paid salaries of districts in the region with a schedule combining salary and benefits like ours.  This enables our District to compete well for teachers, classified employees, and managers.  The last time a salary comparison was done, our teachers were number one with comparative districts while administrative and classified salaries were mixed. 

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Isn’t class size reduction funded by the state? 
Since its inception, class size reduction (CSR) has never been fully funded by the state.  The number of teachers it takes to meet the requirement of 20 students per teacher has always cost more than the funding received from the state.  In Pleasanton, we receive about $4 million to support the program for grades K through 3.  The actual cost is $5.6 million.  By eliminating CSR for these grades, we would save $1.6 million from the general fund.  The unfortunate part is that we would also lose the access to the $4 million from the state.  At this writing, in order to realize a savings, we would have to eliminate CSR at an entire grade level—there is no option to increase class sizes a little (like to 25) and still receive funding.

Why do we have “late start Wednesdays?”
Collaboration time, also known as late start Wednesdays, was implemented in 1998 for grades K through 8 and in 2006 for high schools.  The Board felt that it was critical to provide teachers an opportunity to collaborate on best practices, do data analysis as a means of meeting student needs, and have the opportunity for cross-grade or cross-curricular planning.  Late start Wednesdays do not have an additional expense associated with them. 

Are there elementary physical education teachers?
Elementary teachers in grades 1 - 5 receive prep periods totalling 180 to 225 minutes a week per contract (depending on grade level).   Elementary physical education (P. E.) teachers, along with science specialists and music teachers, enable elementary teachers to have these required prep periods. 

Elementary students are required to have 200 minutes of physical education instruction every ten days.  This instruction can be provided by the regular classroom teacher or by a P. E. specialist.  Today’s state-adopted standards are very meaningful in regards to health and physical fitness.  Students are now given a comprehensive physical fitness test in grades 5, 7, and 9 and must pass that test by the end of grade 9 in order to complete their P. E. requirements.  The Board has supported P. E. instruction at the elementary level by providing trained P. E. specialists.  

While there is not an instructional minute requirement for science at the elementary levels, it is part of the curriculum, and students are tested in science at grade 5.  The Board also believes that visual and performing arts are a critical part of our students’ day.  We are fortunate that we are able to offer science and music instruction by trained and qualified teachers.

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What does PUSD’s counseling program look like?
For many years, the student to counselor ratio at high schools was set by contract at 685 to 1.  There was no specification about the ratio for middle and elementary schools.  Three years ago, the Excellence Committee recommended the following ratios: 350:1 at comprehensive high schools; 200:1 at alternative education; 400:1 at middle schools; and 1 full-time counselor at each elementary site.  At the time these recommendations came out, the State provided additional funding for counselors through Senate Bill 1802.  The District quickly took advantage of this grant, and for the past three years, has been close to the recommended ratios with the exception of elementary schools (currently one half-time counselor per site). 

Does PUSD receive more money than neighboring districts?
PUSD’s revenue limit is higher than Livermore’s because of the adjustment made at unification in the mid-1980s.  We receive less than Dublin.  At this point in time due to state funding levels, our District, along with many others in the state, is experiencing an inability to fund the programs and staff it deems necessary to meet the needs of our students and families.  Without an additional source of income, programs and services will need to be cut in order to balance the budget in 2009/10 and by most estimates, three to four years beyond that. 

Why aren’t programs like Adult Education or Kids’ Club on the list of reductions?
Some programs in the District are completely self-funded.  Adult Education and Kids’ Club are examples of these.  Kids’ Club fully supports itself through fees collected from parents and does not need any General Fund money.  Adult Education gets its own revenue limit funding from the state and may also charge for classes.  The funds from these types of programs cannot be commingled with the District’s General Fund and, therefore, cannot be used to help in the current budget crisis. 

The summer school program does not encroach on the general fund.  GATE (Gifted and Talented Education)is categorically funded—the money received can be used only for GATE programs, and it operates within its budget.  Special Education and transportation cost more than funding received, like CSR (Class Size Reduction), and do have an impact on the General Fund.  The District is required to provide Special Education and related transportation services by law.

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Which districts around us receive funding from a parcel tax?  How much is it, and what do they use it for?
Dublin:  $96/parcel; through November 2013; to support high academic achievement in math, science, reading, writing, and technology, attract and retain highly qualified teachers, maintain small class sizes, and provide ongoing teacher training
Livermore:  $138/parcel through November 2013; to attract and retain highly qualified teachers, and maintain small class sizes, college/career/job preparation classes, art/music/foreign language programs, computers, infrastructure and instructional technology upgrades, elementary science specialists, and high school counselors.  (LVJUSD passed a previous parcel tax in 2004.)
San Ramon Valley:  $90/parcel through April 2009; to retain high quality teachers, keep smaller class sizes, keep school libraries open, keep counselors, and keep elementary instrumental music programs.
Oakland:  $195/parcel passed February 2008 with no expiration; to attract and retain highly qualified teachers, maintain courses that help students qualify for college, maintain up-to-date textbooks and instructional materials, keep class sizes small, continue after-school academic programs, maintain school libraries, and provide programs, including arts and music, which enhance student achievement.  (Oakland passed three previous parcel taxes in 1996, 2001, and 2004.)

A more comprehensive list of parcel tax measures across the state is available here.

Why is the District still in a lawsuit over the Neal property?
It is important to note that any past or future costs associated with the Neal lawsuit come from the capital fund.  These costs have had no effect on the District’s ability to hire teachers or provide programs, and the budget issues which are causing us to consider such drastic cuts are not a result of the lawsuit. 

The agreement that the District had with the two developers (Signature and Standard Pacific) to build and fund Neal School has been declared illegal by the courts.  We have hired a law firm on a contingency basis (at no cost to the District) to pursue a malpractice suit against the firm who created the agreement.  Any money recovered will pay those attorneys and be divided between the District and the developers to cover each party’s expense for pursuing the original Neal case in court.  The District will not owe any legal costs to the developers.

Why is the District still spending money on construction projects?
In these severe budget times, you will still see some construction projects underway on our campuses.  Money for construction is still available from Measure B, developer fees, and state bonds, although recently the state money for construction has been frozen.  The District will be continuing with smaller projects in order to complete them before costs go up and to have them available to students.  Future projects will be put on hold.

For questions or comments, please email publicinfo@pleasanton.k12.ca.us.

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