Menifee School Budget Thoughts
A few thoughts about Menifee Union's finances... Class Size Reduction The Californian published an editorial from the San Jose Mercury N...
http://www.menifee247.com/2009/02/menifee-school-budget-thoughts.htm
A few thoughts about Menifee Union's finances...
Class Size Reduction
The Californian published an editorial from the San Jose Mercury News about education cuts affecting class size reduction...
http://www.nctimes.com/..../z09e21d49a022829d882575550065b407.txt
Intra-District Transfer Fees
Intra-District transfers are those where a student transfers from one school to another within the same district.
I'm wondering if Menifee Union can raise some money from this. Allow all students to transfer to whatever school they want, but stay within the district, except parents pay a fee. For example if your son lives within the boundaries of Oak Meadows Elementary, but you'd like him to attend Ridgemoor, then pay an "intra-district transfer fee".
This allows Menifee Union to leverage the value of its California Distinguished Schools, as well as the value of its best teachers, and attract extra funds from Menifee's more financially-comfortable families.
I don't know if there's already such a fee.
Development Study Fees
The Press Enterprise ran an article a week ago saying that Menifee Union had to pay a $114,000 refund to Pardee Homes...
http://www.pe.com/..../PE_News_Local_S_srefund01.474c352.html
The refund represented home building permit fees. Pardee Homes was going to build a bunch of homes within the district. They had to pay these fees to compensate the district for taking on several more students.
But since these homes are no longer being built, it makes sense that the district has to give this money back. This money was put into the district's facility fund, which can't be used to pay for teachers and operating costs, so it's not necessarily a big loss anyways.
But maybe the district should instead assess a "development study fee". For every proposed housing development, the district has to determine what kind of impact that development will create, in terms of more students, bus routes, crossing guards, and redrawing school boundaries. That's what this fee would pay for, and it's goes into a general fund, and is non-refundable.
The home developer passes that fee on to the home buyers, or is part of the risk it absorbs for proposing a new development.
This may even apply to commercial developments in terms of traffic congestion.
Maybe the district already assesses such a fee, I don't know.
Class Size Reduction
The Californian published an editorial from the San Jose Mercury News about education cuts affecting class size reduction...
http://www.nctimes.com/..../z09e21d49a022829d882575550065b407.txt
Small classes are popular with parents and teachers for good reason. ... But in many districts, the state subsidy doesn't cover costs. And schools that exceed the 20-student cap by even a fraction of a student over the year face penalties. ...Does this mean if Menifee Union eliminates class size reduction, will it face penalties? How much are those penalties?
Intra-District Transfer Fees
Intra-District transfers are those where a student transfers from one school to another within the same district.
I'm wondering if Menifee Union can raise some money from this. Allow all students to transfer to whatever school they want, but stay within the district, except parents pay a fee. For example if your son lives within the boundaries of Oak Meadows Elementary, but you'd like him to attend Ridgemoor, then pay an "intra-district transfer fee".
This allows Menifee Union to leverage the value of its California Distinguished Schools, as well as the value of its best teachers, and attract extra funds from Menifee's more financially-comfortable families.
I don't know if there's already such a fee.
Development Study Fees
The Press Enterprise ran an article a week ago saying that Menifee Union had to pay a $114,000 refund to Pardee Homes...
http://www.pe.com/..../PE_News_Local_S_srefund01.474c352.html
The refund represented home building permit fees. Pardee Homes was going to build a bunch of homes within the district. They had to pay these fees to compensate the district for taking on several more students.
But since these homes are no longer being built, it makes sense that the district has to give this money back. This money was put into the district's facility fund, which can't be used to pay for teachers and operating costs, so it's not necessarily a big loss anyways.
But maybe the district should instead assess a "development study fee". For every proposed housing development, the district has to determine what kind of impact that development will create, in terms of more students, bus routes, crossing guards, and redrawing school boundaries. That's what this fee would pay for, and it's goes into a general fund, and is non-refundable.
The home developer passes that fee on to the home buyers, or is part of the risk it absorbs for proposing a new development.
This may even apply to commercial developments in terms of traffic congestion.
Maybe the district already assesses such a fee, I don't know.
I can tell you they do not currently charge a fee for intra district transfers. Or inter district transfers either for that matter. Maybe if someone wants to transfer out of the district, they can pay a fee to do so....???
ReplyDeleteClass Size Reduction
ReplyDeleteI believe the article is talking about the Governor allowing maximum flexibility.
If I remember correctly from the last meeting, the State will appropriate funds specifically to be used for CSR. With maximum flexibility the money that was “earmarked” for CSR may now be used in the general fund. If the Governor does not allow flexibility and the District eliminates CSR, the State will then reduce the funding.
Jason
As for saving money. I just heard about a program where Edison fronts all the money, in the form of a loan, to have a company come out and have all the light bulbs in a business changed to LED's. Then, the business continues to pay it's regular electric bill until the cost of the change is covered -- about 2 years. Then the electric bill is drastically reduced because of the efficiency of LED's. I don't know if school districts could do this, but may be worth at least looking into the idea.
ReplyDeleteThere is a word for this...I'm sure. What is it when government mandates something in the name of "knowing what's best for you", and then leaving you to figure out how to implement or pay for that?
ReplyDeleteTax Revolt! Throw the tea in the harbor...
ReplyDeleteMUSD is violating CA Education Code 35160.5 b1 by not allowing students have intra-district transfers to the school of choice, When you want your child to transfer and the school of choice has room the district can not deny the transfer. They may face several law suits if it continues.
ReplyDelete