Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Education Enrichment Fund topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves PEAF spending plan after public pleas to protect custodial services
Summary
The San Francisco Unified School District Board approved the Public Education Enrichment Fund (PEAF) spending plan for 2012–13 after testimony from principals and early-education staff urging the board to retain funding for night custodians and deep cleaning; the resolution passed by roll call.
The San Francisco Unified School District Board on Jan. 24 approved Resolution 121-10 SP1, the district’s Public Education Enrichment Fund (PEAF) spending plan for school year 2012–13, after extended public comment and discussion about priorities such as custodial services and teacher recruitment.
Kathy Fleming, supervisor for the PEAF program, told the board that staff had reviewed the Community Advisory Committee’s recommendations but that “the spending proposal remains unchanged,” and that staff responses were posted on the PEAF website and available at the meeting. Fleming read the resolution into the record and highlighted that the spending plan may be amended as state funding evolves.
Several principals and site managers urged the board to keep PEAF funding that pays for custodial services. Carol Fong, principal at Ulloa Elementary, said custodial support is essential and not easily funded by private grants: “Custodial services is one that we cannot go out and get private grants to support.” Peter Van Cort described heavy campus use and limited custodial staffing at his site, noting “we have 1 daytime custodian and I have another 1 that leaves at 10 at night and they clean the building all day long.” Early-education staff emphasized that deep cleaning is required by community care licensing rules and affects preschool quality and eligibility for enhancement funds.
Board members thanked CAC members for their review and discussion. Several commissioners expressed support for the staff recommendation while noting concerns: Commissioner Winns urged a careful reexamination of recurring uses of the fund as Prop H reauthorization approaches; another commissioner pressed staff for better justification of using PEAF to fund teacher recruitment. Commissioner Mafis and others emphasized the practical importance of custodial services for safe, licensed early education and after-school programs.
After discussion, the board voted by roll call to adopt the PEAF spending plan. The vote was recorded as six ayes, approving the resolution that authorizes the 2012–13 PEAF expenditure plan and notes that amendments may follow depending on state funding and City allocations.
What’s next: Staff will proceed under the adopted spending plan and, per the resolution language, may amend allocations during the district budget development process if state funding or City contributions change.
