On Monday the Capo School Trustees will consider rehiring all District teachers who were pink-slipped after previous budget hearings. The Board of Trustees will also look at preserving the 20:1 classroom ratio for grades 1-3 and maintaining classroom sizes for other grades.
The sudden reversal of plans from Superintendent Carter is based on a risky evaluation of revised funding numbers coming out of Sacramento. The numbers changed after Schwarzenegger decided to bet on the lottery instead of suspending Prop 98 funding. The new projections could mean $8 million more than expected for Capo just last month, but the figures have not yet been approved by legislators and the Governor.
The possible improvements are also based in part on money raised by the Capo foundation, a volunteer fundraising arm of the District. To date $700,000 has been raised to save classroom sizes. Another $300,000 from the Foundation will be necessary to fund the optimism in Carter’s revised plan.
The District will still be left with a $20 million deficit compared to full funding under Prop 98; and Carter’s proposal includes building a 2.5% reserve. It therefore appears unlikely other cuts will be restored, including planned layoffs of classified employees, adminstrators, and transportation personnel.
Mission Viejo Dispatch 