Statement from PUSD Superintendent Jon R. Gundry on Passage of Proposition 30

Hi Pasadena Unified School District,

Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) Superintendent Jon R. Gundry issued the following statement regarding the passage of Proposition 30:

“I am pleased that Californians approved Proposition 30 and chose to invest in the K-12 and higher education institutions that define our state. Despite the passage of this measure, the fiscal situation in PUSD remains dire. Proposition 30 does not bring new money to the district but rather prevents us from losing more this school year. The combination of a structural deficit and declining enrollment will force the district to make an estimated $10.3 – $12 million in cuts for the 2013-2014 school year depending on future tax revenue from the state.”

“Proposition 30 prevents automatic cuts to this school year and keeps state funding formulas from decreasing further but did not address the damage that has been done over the last several years. Over the last five years, revenue that PUSD has received from the state has decreased by $35.7 million or 17.6 Percent. Student enrollment has dropped by an estimated 10.5% over that same period. Multimillion dollar cuts have depleted our reserves. One-time federal funds and other grants have lapsed.”

“As a community, we must consider every option to maintain the fiscal viability of the district today and into the future. Two of the associations that represent district employees agreed to contingency language before the election that allow a limited number of work furloughs to take affect in 2013. We also need the United Teachers of Pasadena and California School Employees Association Local 434 to partner with us. It is critical that together we find a solution that will allow us to continue to provide a high quality educational experience for all PUSD students and keep as many of our hard working personnel employed as possible.”

“I will continue work with the Board of Education to examine all possible austerity measures to make sure that this district is solvent for next year as well as years to come. I urge the public to stay informed and involved as we discuss the fiscal future of the Pasadena Unified School District. The decisions before us will irrevocably affect the future of public education in our community.”

For full details, view this message on the web.