School chiefs oppose loosening financial rules
| Thursday, Jun 18 2009 05:43 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Jun 18 2009 05:43 PM
News conference:
9:30 a.m. Friday
Kern County Superintendent of Schools, 1300 17th Street, room 1A
Four Bakersfield school superintendents will discuss at a press conference Friday morning a controversial budget proposal to loosen financial accountability requirements for school districts.
One proposal would lower the amount of savings districts are required by the state to hold from 3 to 1 percent of their annual budget for the next two years.
The other would give districts more leeway to use federal stimulus funds in their budgets and avoid penalties if their budgets tip toward the red in 2011 and 2012.
But it doesn't make sense for the state to allow districts to abandon sound economic principles in a time of crisis, said Rosedale Union School District Superintendent Jamie Henderson.
"I worry these two propositions would cause districts to make decisions that are not in their best interest," Henderson said.
Henderson plus Kern County Superintendent of Schools Larry E. Reider, Kern High's Don Carter and Bakersfield City's Mike Lingo will speak about the proposals.
The two proposals are part of a larger package of reductions suggested by the state Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, including $4.5 billion in reductions for K-12 education that add to cuts made earlier this year.
The state legislature is expected to begin voting on the budget package beginning next week.
