Senior Zach Fedalizo uses a chop saw as freshman Alex Rivera assists as they work on cutting blocks of wood for a beginning woodworking class project at Live Oak High School Wednesday.
Steven Stockan, right, uses a scroll saw to cut out a block of wood as, from left, Anastasia Carson, Chris Jauregui and Travis Graves try to do the same thing.
The safe is unlocked, but the money is still sitting right where it was.
A new state law allows local school districts to use restricted funding for whatever purpose they may need it.
The Morgan Hill Unified School District Board of Education voted Tuesday to unlock many categorical funds as a precautionary measure, as allowed by the state and county. But, just because the funding was unlocked for certain special programs, such as tutoring, professional development and arts and music, doesn't mean the district will raid these coffers, Deputy Superintendent Bonnie Tognazzini said.
The nearly $4 million for these special programs in this year's school budget will go toward their original purposes, unless something "catastrophic" happens, Tognazzini said.
And, Morgan Hill Unified has a cushion. The school district socked away $1.5 million that was leftover from these programs last year. They'll be able to use these "carryover" funds for general purposes if they must. If they don't need it, they'll be handed over to the original program for which they were intended.
It's this leftover money that will be spent before any is taken from current programs, Tognazzini said. Although Tognazzini stopped short of predicting the future, she said the most likely scenario was that last year's carryover funds might be used. She said the district will make it their policy to hold onto carryover funds for a year, as a cushion, until the economy levels.
"We'll sit on it like a little nest," she told the board Tuesday.
Local districts have the option to use restricted funds at their discretion through the 2012-13 fiscal year, according to a county education office document.
Trustee Bart Fisher said stressed that no one on the board expressed an intent to use categorical funds even though they're now able to. Fisher said that over the past few years, the board has established a preference "to keep cuts as far away from the classroom and the students who need the help the most.
"A lot of the categorical funding is right at the heart of our ability to do that. I appreciate Bonnie giving us this flexibility, but we'll certainly want to look at other areas before we start looking into these categorical areas," Fisher said.
The district's Regional Occupational Program, which teaches students trades such as agriculture, fashion and construction, will be preserved, as well a myriad other categorical programs. The district will spend $733,000 in state and federal money on ROP this year.
The school board voted 6-0 to adopt the resolution. Trustee Peter Mandel was absent.
Natalie Everett
Natalie Everett Natalie Everett is the education and city reporter for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106, ext. 201, or neverett@morganhilltimes.com.
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