School District Budget Up $18 Million Over ‘95-96

Trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District passed a $158-million budget this week that is nearly $18 million more than last year’s spending plan.

The budget includes funds to hire additional teachers as well as $800,000 for facilities, supplies and materials to open a new school, Oak Grove Elementary School, this fall.

District officials said the budget increase corresponds to projected growth in the student population, which is estimated to increase by 1,600 for the 1996-97 school year to enrollment of more than 35,500.

The budget as approved shows a $3.6-million deficit, but the district expects to make up the shortfall with one-time funds it anticipates receiving from the state, said Carleen Chandler, associate superintendent.

The new budget, which projects spending per student at $4,428 for the school year, also includes a 31% increase in spending for preschool programs.

The district is also moving ahead with plans to reduce class size for first graders in conjunction with a state proposal, officials said.

Gov. Pete Wilson has proposed allocating an extra $500 per student to schools that reduce class size at first and second grade levels to 20 pupils. That could amount to more than $3 million for Capistrano Unified, officials said.

The district is holding off on reducing the size of second grade classes until the state budget is adopted, officials said.

“The budget for the state of California is a moving target,” Supt. James A. Fleming said, but “every day that goes by brings more optimism.”