Full Funding for Cuts in Class Size Sought

Hueneme Elementary School District trustees are expected to approve a resolution tonight asking state lawmakers to delay expanding the popular class size reduction program until the Legislature provides full funding for the first three grade levels.

While state money for school districts that whittle class sizes to 20 or fewer students may increase from $650 to $666 per pupil next year, school officials at Hueneme want to see it raised to as much as $800 to meet the district’s full costs.

“The problem is this,” said Jeff Baarstad, Hueneme district associate superintendent. “Gov. Wilson is suggesting there is enough money in the school budget that, if it’s a priority, the schools will do it. I can understand that. But there is enough money in a four-grade program to pay for [only] three grades. It’s like saying, ‘We want you to rob Peter to pay Paul.’ ”

With no state grants for facilities next year, the Hueneme district also estimates it will spend $650,000, or 2% of its operating budget, to bring portable classrooms to campuses and reduce the size of second-grade classes.

Under the state incentive program, school districts are partially reimbursed for paring their first and second grades, and either kindergarten or third-grade classes. Wilson has proposed expanding the program to include the fourth grade next year.

Hueneme, with 8,072 students, would follow in the footsteps of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, which passed a similar resolution in January and started a statewide lobbying campaign to seek full funding for the program.