The Presiding Officer will call the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. 

Because the answer can be found via internet search, the trivia question will not be published until the day of the Board meeting. 

Persons wishing to address the Board should fill out a green speaker card.  Cards turned in by 7:15 p.m. will be given priority.        

Speakers will be randomly selected based on topic and position, with BUSD students generally given priority.  Public Testimony is limited to 30 minutes with a 3-minute limit per speaker per topic although the time allotted per speaker may be reduced to 2 minutes at the discretion of the President. 

Board members and the Superintendent are given the opportunity to address any issue.  

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:         Board of Education
FROM:          Donald Evans, Ed. D., Superintendent
DATE:           February 21, 2018
SUBJECT:     Resolution 18-012 Proclaiming February 2018 as African American History Month

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: 
The Berkeley Unified School District has a tradition of commemorating Black History Month in February of each year. African Americans have a history of outstanding accomplishments in every field of human endeavor from literature and art to science, industry, education, diplomacy, athletics and jurisprudence. It is important that our students learn of the people and events that enrich African American history.

POLICY/CODE: 
None

FISCAL IMPACT:
None

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve Resolution 18-012 Proclaiming February 2018 as African American History Month.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO: Board of Education
FROM: Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
PRESENTERS:   Pasquale Scuderi, Associate Superintendent, Educational Services
Pauline Follansbee, Interim Assistant Superintendent, Business Services
DATE: February 21, 2018
SUBJECT: Decisions on Proposed Ongoing Base Grant/General Fund Budget Reductions for 2018-19

PURPOSE:
To make decisions on the remaining $203,791 in reductions that are necessary to meet the overall target of reducing ongoing general fund expenditures by $1.8 million beginning in 2018-2019. On February 7, 2018, the Board came to consensus on and indicated a willingness to approve a set of proposed reductions in the amount of $1,596,209 toward that overall goal of $1.8 million.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Each year the Superintendent brings forward a list of current and competing priorities for funding through the base grant/general fund, and seeks direction from the Board of Education for items on that list that the Board is in interested in funding, or not funding, for the subsequent school year. These priorities are considered in two categories: those that represent ongoing commitments and expenditures, and those that are proposed for funding on a one-time or limited term basis.

This year, BUSD faces the added complexity of needing to reduce expenses district-wide by approximately 1.8 million dollars, and the Board has directed staff to propose reductions that will address the eventuality of our overall expenses outpacing our revenue given our multi-year projections. These proposals have been considered by the Superintendent’s Budget Advisory Committee (SBAC), a group consisting of representatives from parent groups, unions, district staff, and community members. This committee has discussed and reviewed these proposals, along with significant community input and public comment, at a series of seven public meetings between May 30, 2017 and January 23, 2018.

The Board was presented with a  list of proposals for reductions at their January 24 meeting, which included recommendations from both District staff and the budget advisory committee. Discussion of those proposals continued on February 7, 2018, with additional and refined recommendations from the Superintendent. At the conclusion of the February 7 meeting, Board members came to consensus on and indicated a willingness to approve a set of proposed reductions in the amount of $1,596,209 toward the overall reduction goal of $1.8 million. The Board convenes tonight to decide upon the remaining ongoing reductions ($203,791) that must be approved in order to meet the overall reduction goal, and then subsequently approve total reductions in ongoing general fund expenses in the target amount of $1.8 million.    

The need to reduce our overall budget is driven by a responsibility to ensure the multi-year fiscal health of the District, and to deal with a structural deficit that, if not addressed, would potentially compromise the District’s financial well-being in the long term. Additionally, a portion of the new funding must be used to honor compensation agreements reached previously with our employees through their unions.

Tonight’s discussion and agenda will focus on the overall District budget in four parts.

This initial agenda item, as previously stated, requires the Board to approve additional reductions from the remaining list of items still under review in order to meet the overall targeted reduction in ongoing base/grant expenditures of $1.8 million.

Both the reductions that the Board came to consensus on on February 7, as well as those items still under consideration for reduction, are outlined in detail in ATTACHMENT 1 (attached to this item).

A second separate item on tonight’s agenda will focus on the comparatively small number of proposals for new ongoing expenditures recommended by staff. 

A third seperate item tonight will allow for discussion on the proposed reassignment of general fund costs to BSEP (local parcel tax revenue) in the proposed amount of $450K. This transfer or reassignment of general fund costs to BSEP was included in the total of  $1,596,209 in proposed reductions that the Board reached consensus on and indicated a willingness to approve at the February 7, 2018 meeting.

A fourth item on tonight’s agenda will involve discussion and decisions on the proposed one-time expenditures introduced on January 24.  Attachment 3.

QUESTION FOR THE BOARD:

• What additional reductions do you support?

Consensus on reductions from 2/7/18 was in the amount of $1,596,209. An additional ongoing reduction of $203,791 is required to meet the $1.8 million reduction target.

NEXT STEPS:
Receive decisions and direction from the Board.

FISCAL IMPACT:
Forthcoming decisions will involve each of the following areas:

• Ongoing reductions of $1.8 million in general fund/base grant expenses

Details can be found in the attached documents.

ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Proposed Budget Reductions and Remaining Considerations (Slides)

Attachment 2: Impact Review (A general summary of impact and potential mitigation strategies for proposed reductions)

LINKS TO PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS:

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO: Board of Education
FROM: Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
PRESENTERS: Pauline Follansbee, Interim Assistant Superintendent, Business Services
Pasquale Scuderi, Associate Superintendent, Educational Services
DATE: February 21, 2018

SUBJECT: Proposed New Ongoing General Fund Expenditures for 2018-2019

PURPOSE:
To make decisions on proposals for new, ongoing general fund expenditures initially proposed on January 24, 2018

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Each year the Superintendent brings forward a list of current and competing priorities for funding through the base grant/general fund, and seeks direction from the Board of Education for items on that list that the Board is in interested in funding, or not funding, for the subsequent school year. These priorities are considered in two categories: those that represent ongoing commitments and expenditures, and those that are proposed for funding on a one-time or limited term basis. This item deals solely with those limited items in this budget cycle that staff is proposing as new ongoing or annual expenditures. Those proposals are detailed in the attachments to this item.

As tonight’s previous item on budget reductions reveals, this year BUSD faces the added complexity of needing to reduce expenses district-wide by approximately 1.8 million dollars, and the Board has directed staff to propose reductions (see tonight’s first agenda item) in an amount that will address and prevent the eventuality of our overall expenses outpacing our revenue given our multi-year projections.

While it may appear counterintuitive to propose additional ongoing expenses at the same time that BUSD is proposing significantly larger reductions, staff notes that programmatic needs, support for critical infrastructure or related staffing, or assistance with specific school-based challenges often arise irrespective of the current fiscal dynamics. Acknowledging those emerging needs is an important component of our ongoing and ever evolving resource assessments.

The Board is asked to consider these proposals, and staff is cognizant of the fact that approving them, or any portion of them, will warrant either an increase in the currently identified budget reduction target, or at the very least an acknowledgement that funds expended on any new or added general fund expenditures will be funds not used to address the various multi-year fiscal concerns the district is addressing at present.      

QUESTION FOR THE BOARD:

1. Which ongoing expenses can you approve?

NEXT STEPS:
Receive additional direction from the Board in order to refine or amend the recommended reductions and/or additions for the February 21 meeting.

FISCAL IMPACT:

• Proposed additional ongoing expenditures of $222K

Details can be found in the attached documents.

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment 3: Proposed New Ongoing Expenditures Summary (Slides)

Attachment 4: Budget Priorities Detail: NEW Ongoing Expenditure Recommendations (Document)

LINKS TO PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS:

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO: Board of Education
FROM: Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent
PRESENTERS:   Pauline Follansbee, Interim Assistant Superintendent, Business Services
Pasquale Scuderi, Associate Superintendent, Educational Services

DATE: February 21, 2018
SUBJECT: Proposed Reassignment of Ongoing General Fund Costs to BSEP in 2018-19 (as part of the overall budget reduction needs for 2018-19)

PURPOSE:
Discuss details of  staff’s current proposals to meet the Board’s direction to reassign $450,000 of general fund costs into BSEP beginning in 2018-2019; this direction was  given as part of the need to reduce $1.8 million in ongoing general fund expenditures.  

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Measure E1 of 2016 is the special tax that funds the Berkeley Schools Excellence Program (BSEP). The school community has had five successful BSEP ballot measures in its 30-year history of providing funding for needed programs in the Berkeley Unified School District.

BSEP provides 20% of the funding for our schools, including paying for one-third of classroom teachers, all school libraries, the 4th-8th grade music program, instructional technology, school discretionary funds, student support programs and personnel, professional development, program evaluation, and much more.

BSEP’s locally generated revenue has worked in conjunction with the District’s general fund over that long partnership to provide essential and enriching programs and services. That partnership has seen BSEP, during years where the measure’s revenue and finances were healthier than those of the general fund, support programs that might have been eliminated or reduced; conversely, at other times where the general fund was fiscally healthier than BSEP, similar assistance and cost sharing was enacted for the greater good of preserving programs and maintaining continuity of services for students.

This year, with BUSD making a targeted reduction of $1.8 million to the general fund, the Board has directed staff to explore general fund costs in the amount of $450,000 that could be reassigned to BSEP funding beginning in 2018-2019.

On Tuesday, February 13, 2018, staff previewed recommendations for specific transfers to the Planning and Oversight Committee (P&O), a citizens oversight committee that oversees and advises staff with regard to expenditures within the measure.

The Attachment to this item outlines in detail both the general fund costs being proposed for transfer into BSEP, as well as positions and expenses that could be reduced within BSEP in order to better absorb those transferred costs.

QUESTIONS FOR THE BOARD:

1. Which costs can you approve for transfer into BSEP?

NEXT STEPS:
Receive additional direction from the Board.

FISCAL IMPACT:
Transfers of between $450K and $490K in general fund expenses into BSEP beginning in 2018-19.

ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 5: Proposed General Fund Cost Reassignments (slides)

LINKS TO PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO: Board of Education
FROM: Donald Evans, Ed.D., Superintendent\
PRESENTERS:   Pauline Follansbee, Interim Assistant Superintendent, Business Services
Pasquale Scuderi, Associate Superintendent, Educational Services
DATE: February 21, 2018
SUBJECT: Decisions on One-Time General Fund Expenditures for 2018-2019

PURPOSE:
To make decisions on proposals for new, one-time general fund expenditures initially proposed on January 24, 2018.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Each year the Superintendent brings forward a list of current and competing priorities for funding through the base grant/general fund, and seeks direction from the Board of Education for items on that list that the Board is in interested in funding, or not funding, for the subsequent school year. These priorities are considered in two categories: those that represent ongoing annual commitments and expenditures, and those, like the ones presented in this item, that are proposed for funding on a one-time or limited term basis.

The Board was presented with this list of proposals for one-time expenditures at their January 24, 2018 meeting and will continue to discuss and make decisions on these proposals tonight.

Tonight’s discussion will focus on proposals totaling $2,033,745.30 in one-time expenditures for school year 2018-2019. The total available amount of one-time funding allocated for 2018-2019 was close to $2.7 million; $400K of that initial revenue was used to cover previously agreed to compensation bonuses for our employees.

QUESTION FOR THE BOARD:
Which one-time expenditures can you approve?

FISCAL IMPACT:
One-time/limited term expenditures of nearly $2.1 million from one-time funding for 2018-2019

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment 6: Proposed One-Time Expenditures Summary (Slides)

Attachment 7: Budget priorities Detail: One-Time Recommendations (Document)

LINKS TO PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS:

Persons wishing to address the Board should fill out a green speaker card.  Cards turned in for the earlier open session public testimony will be given priority.  Speakers will be randomly selected based on topic and position, with BUSD students generally given priority.  Public Testimony is limited to 15 minutes with a 3-minute limit per speaker per topic although the time allotted per speaker may be reduced to 2 minutes at the discretion of the President.