CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Shannon Haber, 213-393-1289 June 30, 2020
Statement from Superintendent Austin Beutner
On Adoption of Los Angeles Unified Budget
June is normally the month of celebrating graduations and culminations. June is also the month when the budget for the upcoming school year is finalized and formally adopted by the Board of Education.
These are not normal times, and the Board will be considering an interim budget in June and adopting the final budget and Local Control and Accountability Plan in December.
On Monday, we received news that Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders had struck an agreement that would avoid cuts, at least for now. We are awaiting details of this agreement and how it will ultimately impact our students, staff and families.
97% of the funds Los Angeles Unified receives are spent at schools, and we have been advocating strongly for state leaders to recognize the impact any cuts would have on students and their learning.
Schools will also face additional costs – early estimates are $250 million for Los Angeles Unified – to take the appropriate actions to mitigate the risk of the virus at school facilities and continue with online learning.
There will be a need for more mental health support for students in schools as they deal with the trauma in their lives.
This budget reflects our commitment to do all we can to help students continue to learn while dealing with the impact of the pandemic. We expect this interim budget will need to be revised when the state provides updated school budget information later this year.
Schools in Los Angeles Unified will have the same funding as was committed in January prior to the onset of this crisis. In addition, we will be providing additional money to elementary schools as part of a Primary Promise. These funds will be used to provide additional support for students in literacy, math and language development for English learners. The funds will also be used to support the inclusion of students with learning differences or disabilities in classes with their general education peers. Children learn to read in elementary school so they can continue to learn for the rest of their lives. It’s imperative to make sure we provide this opportunity for every student.
There is no substitute for learning in a school setting. When the new school year starts on August 18, it will be about five months since children were in schools. There is much research about the summer slide and how students struggle after this much shorter absence from school. The needs of students will be extraordinary this coming school year, and our response must be as well.