GO Board Watch: November 7, 2017
Welcome to GO’s School Board Watch for the meeting taking place Wednesday, November 8, 2017.
This week’s agenda includes the following key items:
- 2016-17 Budget Crisis Post-Mortem Report
- Board resolution for fiscal solvency
- California School Dashboard
Budget and Finance
2016-17 Budget Crisis Post-Mortem Report
The Board will hear a presentation on the problems and key drivers that led to the 2016-17 budget crisis. The Superintendent’s memo on the report states that, “Virtually every area identified by the Board for this report has a connection to an internal control weakness in one or more district systems.” The lack of sufficient internal controls has contributed to the district’s underlying budget problem, “a persistent and challenging structural imbalance, which includes key drivers with internal and external origin,” such as increased PERS/STRS costs (external) and lack of adjustments for declining enrollment (internal).
Confirming The District’s Commitment To Fiscal Solvency
The Board will vote on a resolution that would commit the Board to a three step plan for fiscal solvency. Step 1 includes $15.1 million in adjustments to the 2017-18 budget to restore the financial reserve (to account for underbudgeting in some areas), increase contributions to restricted programs (special education and food services), and begin to rebuild the Self-Insurance Fund. Step 2 includes $11.2 million in adjustments for 2018-19 to continue to rebuild the reserve and Self-Insurance Fund, and Step 3 is that the District will present a 2018-19 budget in December that details how the District will accomplish Step 2.
Schools
California School Dashboard Local Indicators
The California School Dashboard is a new statewide evaluation system that includes six core indicators that are shared across districts and schools and four local indicators chosen by each district. The District will report on OUSD’s progress on the four local indicators: basic conditions, implementation of academic standards, parent engagement, and school climate. The data on local indicators will be uploaded to the California School Dashboard by December 1.