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Board approves $99,100 for merged Ed Fund/School Volunteers after amendment over fingerprinting and funding source
Summary
The San Francisco board approved an amended contract (K Reso 98-25-K13) to fund the merged San Francisco Ed Fund/School Volunteers for the 2009–10 year after weeks of questions about fingerprinting costs ($66 per volunteer), funding sources and budget priorities. Commissioners agreed to restrict some funding sources and to reimburse up to the fingerprinting cost.
The San Francisco Unified School District board voted to approve an amended allocation to the merged San Francisco Education Fund/School Volunteers on Sept. 9, approving substitute motion 98-25-K13 as amended.
Lisa Spinelli, who presented for the merged organization, told the board the program expects to run a $945,000 operation that places and supports volunteers in district schools. She said volunteer clearance now requires fingerprinting at a state-mandated $66 per volunteer and that the fingerprinting requirement will add about $60,000 in costs this year. "The fingerprinting is a new thing which has happened over the last 2 years... this is an additional cost that we're taking on this year to the tune of $66 per volunteer," Spinelli said.
Commissioners pressed staff on where the $99,100 request would come from in the district budget and whether the district could absorb fingerprinting costs more cheaply. Deputy Superintendent Myung Lee and Spinelli said the $66 fee is a state rate tied to the fingerprinting process and that internal processing by the district would not reduce the per‑volunteer charge. "It will cost the same $66 because it's about the fee that the state pays," Spinelli said.
Several commissioners said they value the volunteers’ work but warned about severe district budget constraints. Commissioner Wynne called the request "a good expenditure of that money for this year" but warned that next year the board will have to re-evaluate funding given projected multi‑million dollar shortfalls. Commissioner Fewer and others suggested a narrowed allocation that would reimburse the Ed Fund for fingerprinting costs while limiting other general‑fund support.
Commissioner Rachel Norton proposed an amendment to strike the unrestricted general fund from the K resolution and to direct reimbursement to the Ed Fund for fingerprinting costs up to $70,000; the amendment passed on roll call. The board then approved the full substitute motion as amended; running tallies recorded six ayes on the final vote.
United Educators of San Francisco president Dennis Kelly urged approval on the grounds that the organization has become a reliable partner in schools and that denying the allocation at this late date would be unfair. "If nothing else, I think we should go ahead with that this year," Kelly said.
Board members and the superintendent said the approval was limited to the coming year to buy the merged organization time to adjust its plans. Superintendent Garcia told the board the district and partners will need to collaborate in coming years when cuts deepen: "Whatever commitment we make tonight would be for just this year... Next year, there's no way," he said.
The amended resolution directs staff to reimburse the merged Ed Fund/School Volunteers for specified costs (including fingerprinting) and to rely on the targeted instructional improvement block grant where appropriate. Commissioners said the district will revisit the program’s funding in next year’s budget decisions.
Outcome: the board approved substitute motion 98-25-K13 as amended; the amendment limiting funding sources and reimbursing fingerprinting costs passed, and the final amended contract was approved (6 ayes). The board requested additional budget committee analysis of Tier 3 categorical funds and the TIG (targeted instructional improvement grant) before future allocations.
