The first of two San Luis Coastal Unified School District public forums was held to discuss potential solutions to the roughly $8.6 million budget deficit.
Parents, staff, and the board shared the same sentiment: Cuts to solve the budget deficit need to happen as far from the classroom as possible.
"Give us a year, you're going to see tonight and over the weeks, we can do this," said Fiona Lloyd-Moffet, a transitional kindergarten teacher. "And then give us that time, and we will get the advocates, we will get the parents, we will get the families, we will get the community members, and we'll do this."
Staff and parents alike called for more time at the public forum — time to figure out alternative solutions to what SLCUSD Superintendent Eric Prater calls a three-legged problem.
He says the loss of one-time funds from the pandemic, less money coming from Diablo Canyon, and a transitional kindergarten program not funded by the state are what landed the district in this tough spot.
"We're going to have to fight for that money again," said Superintendent Prater. "They're not going to hand it over to us."
During both meetings, concerned staff and parents offered solutions other than cutting the transitional kindergarten classes entirely.
"Have you considered taking a reduction in your own salaries to offset the costs needed?" said one parent.
Other proposed solutions from those in attendance included finding a compromise and still preserving part of the program
"Can we at least explore the option of going back to providing for those neediest families? Because this is a huge equity question. Can we instead of chopping off the whole head, consider going back to the most neediest schools?" said one parent to a potential incoming TK student.
Parents also asked why the district hasn’t proposed changing its funding status from “basic aid” to the more traditional state-funded budget.
But Dr. Prater said that would create additional problems.
"We would have to cut property taxes that cost us," said one parent in response to the proposal. "It would cost our students more money to do that even though we would get money from the state."
Dr. Prater added that the district is working to negotiate more money from Diablo Canyon, and creating coalitions to push for TK funding from the state for basic aid districts.
He also says there are going to be more specifics on what cuts would improve the deficit coming in the next week or so.
If you weren't able to attend the first public forum, there will be another one on Jan. 22 at the Morro Bay High School theater. Staff will meet at 4:30 p.m. and parents will meet at 6.
