County Superintendent of Schools Tim Foley’s recent edict to the
Hollister School District to fix the financial mess its in or face
the possibility of state takeover is just what the beleaguered
district needs.
County Superintendent of Schools Tim Foley’s recent edict to the Hollister School District to fix the financial mess its in or face the possibility of state takeover is just what the beleaguered district needs.
In a memo sent to the Hollister School District Board of Trustees, Foley outlined in no uncertain terms what must be done to get its fiscal house in order. He stated his concerns as well as flaws in the district’s accounting system that must be fixed and he gave the district 90 days to present him a plan of action to avoid a state takeover.
But just as importantly, Foley offered his office’s resources to help do what it takes to avoid an unwelcome state intervention. That’s the kind of firm-but-fair approach HSD needs to solve its ongoing budget woes.
To recap, in June the HSD board overcame a $1 million deficit by dipping into its reserves. Next year, the district will face another deficit and will not have near enough money left in its coffers to meet the 3 percent minimum reserve for economic uncertainty required by the state.
HSD has used reserves to balance its budget for the last two years, laid off teachers, increased class sizes and, according to June budget projections, will be in a position to request an emergency state loan in the 2007-2008 school year. Such a loan would prompt a California Department of Education takeover of the district.
As the Board and new Superintendent Ron Crates start creating a plan to avoid that unsavory scenario, we have a few suggestions:
n Make sure the 90-day plan is real, not just a series of promises and projections to appease Foley that we later find out are unrealistic
n Look into the golden parachutes that administrators get when they leave, and determine where they can be less generous. For that matter, look into spending on administration and consider capping it or scaling it back to levels that fit with the district’s current fiscal situation
n Study whether there would be savings by unifying HSD with the San Benito High School District. HSD, which has eight schools and 6,000 students, desperately needs to find economies of scale, and they may be found by merging the two districts under one administrative umbrella
n Look into boosting volunteerism at HSD schools. Parents, who already are involved but may be able to do more, and high school students looking to earn community service hours could provide valuable free labor to HSD
We’re confident that with new leadership in place at HSD, and the prodding and guidance that the County Office of Education is providing, HSD can avoid state intervention. And, we’re thankful that Foley has shined the spotlight on the need to get it done.
