Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Atascadero Unified staff warn of flat funding, outline LCAP priorities and limits on recovery grant uses
Summary
District staff told the board that LCAP funding is largely consumed by staffing (about 93%), projected unduplicated pupil funding is roughly $4.6 million and the Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant (LREBG) has strict allowable uses; staff described potential centralization of intervention services to absorb staffing cost increases.
District staff presented an update on the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), outlined budget projections and explained limits on how certain one-time recovery funds may be used.
"About 49.19% of our students were unduplicated pupil groups, which brought just over $4,600,000," said the district presenter (identified in the meeting as Mr. Rossi/EJ). Staff emphasized that roughly 93% of the district’s LCAP expenditures are staffing-related and that a modest projected funding increase (about $25,000) will not cover typical step/column and insurance cost growth.
Trustees asked whether the Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant (LREBG) could be redirected to support hands-on programs such as garden instruction or Learning Among the Oaks. Staff responded that LREBG has specific allowable uses tied to state priorities and research-based interventions directed toward unduplicated pupils, and that many supplemental programs would be difficult to fund under that grant without a clearly identified unduplicated-pupil need.
To manage flat funding and rising personnel costs, staff said the district is considering centralizing some site-based intervention services (for example, sharing intervention teachers across elementary sites) to preserve services while taking advantage of natural attrition.
Trustees and staff agreed that any program additions or restorations would need to be matched to identified needs and appropriate funding sources. The district plans to present a finalized LCAP for public review on June 2 and seek board approval on June 9.
