IUSD Board of Education votes to adopt and submit a budget for 2011-12

The IUSD Board of Education voted unanimously this week to adopt a budget for 2011-12, and, in the same motion, directed staff to forward all appropriate documents to the Orange County Department of Education.

The final spending plan approved Tuesday night outlines $212.2 million worth of expenditures – both restricted and unrestricted – against $199.7 million worth of total revenue for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The difference will be offset by onetime carryover funds, said Lisa Howell, assistant superintendent of Business Services. California’s budget crisis has forced IUSD to reduce spending by approximately $38 million over the last two years, and although Governor Jerry Brown’s most recent spending proposal calls for flat funding for K-12 schools, it was based on the optimistic assumption that voters would approve a package of revenue-generating tax extensions. That scenario appears to be fading, and districts have been advised to budget conservatively while preparing for the possibility of midyear cuts. Though IUSD projects a balanced budget through 2011-12, multimillion-dollar shortfalls are anticipated in subsequent years unless the state budget picture improves. That means the district will likely have to make additional budget adjustments for 2012-13 and beyond. To view a PDF recap of Tuesday night's meeting, click here.