FULLERTON : Schools OK Budget; Revision Is Possible

The Fullerton School District Board of Trustees has approved a $42-million final budget for the 1992-93 fiscal year that contains cuts in custodial services and media and arts resources available to schoolchildren.

But even though the budget was approved unanimously by board members Tuesday night, officials said it was unlikely to be the last vote on the budget for the year, because the state has yet to make a final decision on how much it will cut from education in an effort to balance its budget.

“I don’t want anyone leaving here thinking it’s a fait accompli , finished. What we’re doing is adopting a final budget, which will be adapted over the summer,” said board President John Bedell.

The 1992-93 budget included layoffs of three school painters and one buyer for the school system. Custodians will clean schoolrooms once every two days instead of every day as is currently done. That alone will save the district $150,000.

The district has eliminated subsidies for school art supplies, which will result in a saving of $60,000, said Bill Moore, assistant superintendent for business services.

Moreover, students will see a dramatic cut in library services next fall. Media aides will see their hours cut from six hours a day to three, and certified media specialists will be assigned to teach kindergarten-to-eighth-grade classes to prevent rises in average class sizes.

One subject board members plan to address this summer is transportation fees. Fullerton students pay no fee to take a bus to school, a service which costs the district $650,000 a year, said Rick Lewis, director of transportation services for the district.

Board members have indicated that they are in favor of some kind of bus fee--or even abolishing bus service altogether--in order to mitigate cuts in other areas.

“I think a media center is more important,” said board member Elena Reyes-Jones. “Parents can always get involved and use car pools, but volunteers cannot run media centers.”

But Bedell, who had earlier indicated support for possibly eliminating busing service altogether, appeared to retract his earlier position, saying that he saw the elimination of bus service as a possible safety threat to children.