While the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) faces budget shortfalls on many fronts, including increased utility costs, over-budgeted construction due to escalating building costs and inadequate state funding, the school board attempts to prepare a strategic plan as they simultaneously tackle current fiscal dilemmas.
Art Cohen, assistant superintendent of business and finance, said the board would begin to address fiscal issues when they meet tonight.
“A lot of things are still up in the air,” said Cohen. State funding has remained consistent, but not enough to help the schools, he said.
To prevent fiscal problems in the coming years, the SMMUSD school board has decided to work on a long-term strategic plan that will connect the needs and priorities of the school district with its financial ability to accomplish those goals.
“It’s a transition time,” said school board member Mike Jordan, who hopes to work on plans for the district.
In the past the district developed goals, mission statements and the like. “A strategic plan,” said Jordan, “is something the district has never done before.” The district will need to start from scratch and figure out what an excellent public education system looks like from the foundation on, he said.
One of the board’s priorities is to stop the cycle of having budget shortfalls every year, said Jordan. “That’s a big endeavor.”
In a memo to the board, newly hired superintendent John Deasy said, “I am fully prepared to lead the community through a rigorous strategic planning process and deliver a living and working document, which will serve as our strategic plan within the first seven months of my administration.”
Though he is still in Rhode Island district, Deasy is getting acquainted with the district’s issues in an effort to be prepared when he takes over as superintendent in July.
In his memo, Deasy urged the board to postpone discussion of the strategic plan process until he can join them on May 30.
But despite the challenges, Deasy said he is particularly pleased with what he has seen so far. “The depth of involvement from parents is exciting and encouraging,” he said.
The most pressing issue, said Deasy, is the fiscal issue.
“The strategic plan will help the district three to five years down the road,” said Deasy. But the district still needs to work on reducing the fiscal deficit in the meantime.
Though it’s fairly generic in nature, the approach of the plan will help the district understand and identify the needs of the schools and connect them with the community and businesses.
As for the funding, Jordan said, “Once we develop our priorities then we can match the funding and resources with the priorities of the strategic plan, putting budgeting in sync with the goal we’ll have set for ourselves.”
The board realizes they have to pick priorities. “You can’t be everything to everybody,” said Jordan.
“That doesn’t mean we are not going to try to expand and fund programs,” he continued, “but first we need to identify what is most important to us — then we will update it every year.”
Part of the process will include the academic plan. The board wants to align the curriculum and instructional materials with state standards. This is important because it enables students to learn what they need to, and to do well on exit exams, said Jordan. It’s a process and that means instructional materials also have to be adequate.
The board also has to investigate all fundraising avenues, such as at the ballot box, through public and private partnerships, grants from foundations and through a joint operating agreement with Malibu and Santa Monica.
“With ongoing dialogues we’re trying to set a foundation to open up possibilities,” said Jordan.
Tonight’s school board meeting will take place at the district offices from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Another meeting is scheduled for May 30, with Deasy attending.