Although Malibu High is cutting back in certain areas, a new 25,000 square-foot addition that includes a new gym is almost completed.
By Jessica Steindorff /Special to The Malibu Times
As the result of mounting district budget shortfalls, back-to-school budget cuts are underway for the 2002-2003 school year at Malibu High School (MHS).
This year, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District faces an estimated $2.9 million deficit.
Cuts at MHS include eliminating funding for the Digital High School Grant for digital technology installation and support, which would have also provided money for staff training. Prior to the cuts, a technology person was based at MHS. Now, with less than half the funding available, the budget only allows for one half-time technology person. Fortunately, parent volunteers are filling in.
“At a school as large as Malibu [High], we need at least two people to properly support the technology here,” Principal Mike Matthews said. Furthermore, with the additional elimination of the MHS library aides-one full-time and two part-time aides were laid off-the dependency on volunteer parents is greater then ever.
“Libraries are not just a place where students go to find books,” Matthews said, “but a place where they are able to research media information.”
Cuts had to occur somewhere, and with the high demand for music and arts programs, the school board was vigilant in deciding where to make them. In both situations, the dependency on parent volunteers is heavy, but the flow of help has been abundant.
Malibu doesn’t stand alone with the tightened budget. Cuts also took place throughout the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and other surrounding districts. Santa Monica High School received the same budget cuts as MHS.
“Every school district gets the same amount of funding from the government, whether it is a poor or wealthy school area,” Matthews said.
To supplement depleted school revenue, Proposition EE, a parcel tax measure that would fill district coffers by about $9.6 million per year, will be before voters in the November election. If passed, properties in Malibu and Santa Monica would be taxed a flat $300 per parcel.
Additions to be completed next month
However, after delays from lack of design approvals, the future looks bright for the new construction. A 25,000-square-foot addition, which will house classrooms as well as a gym, is nearly completed and is expected to open Oct. 8. The gym is said to be a “competition gym,” open to both the middle and high school students.
“I think that it is good that they are building a new gym,” said Jennifer Kramer, a seventh-grader at MHS. “But I think that they are wasting a lot of money that should be going towards new social studies books and stuff like that.”
A decrease in class size in 10th-grade English and math is also in full swing, allowing for a more individualized classroom experience. With the decrease, classrooms are now set at a 25-to-1 student-teacher ratio.
In a board meeting held on Sept. 19, board members had one main focus-the presentation of more than 50 pieces of collective data that included test score interpretations. They also discussed building a discipline task force.
In addition, a proposal was made through an in-depth discussion about bridging the achievement gap between white students and students of color. One piece of data presented at the meeting showed that students who have access to and successfully complete Algebra I in eighth grade would perform better scholastically later on. This was the incentive for proposing that all 8th-grade students enter and complete Algebra I, and all ninth-grade students enter and complete geometry.
Students needing additional support will be given the opportunity to add a second period of math or enroll in a summer math class to help reach their full potential.
The board had a positive response and will be working on putting together a plan by December.
The next board meeting will be on Oct. 3. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at Malibu High School, and is open to the public. This meeting will be a regular business board meeting to discuss such topics as purchase orders, field trips, independent contractors and contracts.