1997-98 School Budget Gets Preliminary OK

The city’s school board this week gave preliminary approval to a 1997-98 budget that will give the district a reserve of $9.8 million, the largest in recent years.

“The financial picture looks very good,” said Paul Fisher, assistant superintendent of business services for the Tustin Unified School District. “It seems to go in cycles of about three to five years, . . . and right now were in pretty good shape.”

The district is anticipating revenue of about $71.7 million, with planned expenses of about $70.5 million. The difference will be added to the district’s reserve fund for “unforeseen economic contingencies,” Fisher said.

The spending package, which is scheduled for possible revision and final adoption in August, includes about $4.5 million in capital improvements.

The projects include the reopening of Guinn Foss Elementary School, which had closed because of decreasing enrollment.

A large portion will go toward further classroom modifications and the purchase of temporary classrooms to accommodate class-size reductions in first through third grade that the district and other schools statewide began implementing earlier this year, Fisher said.