As District staff and I look for ways to cut up to $14 million from next year's budget in response to the Governor's announcement that we may receive approximately $300. less per student, I have a strong sense of déjà vu. In the nearly nine years since I began my tenure as Superintendent of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, on October 1, 1999, we have to reduce expenses many more times than we have had money to spare. Drops in state revenues are the primary cause. Our declining enrollment and lack of a parcel tax as a stable revenue source both contribute.

I despair at having to recommend budget cuts again, yet I know we can work through them together. When I look back over the last nine years, I see the strength of our staff, parents, and the broader community. Each time we made cuts we were able to maintain programs and even add new ones because we kept, and continue to keep, our focus on students being well served and well prepared when they leave Mt. Diablo. A look at the chronology of budget reductions may be helpful.

December 14, 1999--Identifying budget reductions was one of my first tasks as MDUSD Superintendent. Within two months of my arrival, the board approved a "qualified" First Interim Report. Multi-year projections showed that the District would not be able to meet its financial obligations in the current year nor in the two subsequent ones.

March 7, 2000--Two months later the Board approved $2 million in expenditure reductions. These were achieved by increasing class size, reorganizing the Alternative Education program, eliminating a position in Research and Evaluation, reducing non-public school expenses, and using additional lottery funds.

March 14, 2001--A year later, to meet ongoing needs related to energy, programs, and employee salaries, the Board approved $1.4 million in cuts. These were achieved by again increasing class size, staffing to formula, closing one of the six Small Necessary High Schools (Adelante), eliminating Opportunity classes, reducing temporary landscape help, and using additional lottery funds.

March 12, 2002--Yet another year later, based on projected decreases in state revenues, the Board reduced the budget by $1.6 million. This was acheived by reducing teaching and administrative positions, increasing staffing formulas, and shifting money from the General Fund to other funding sources. Departmental budgets were reduced as well.

By March 2003 the Board had reduced expenditures by $6 million. By March 2004 another $4 million in reductions were approved. By March 2005, yet another $4 million was cut.

The point of this review is to show that budget reductions were necessary during the first six years of my tenure as superintendent. Despite them, we were able to keep our focus on serving students well. Students have been making progress despite declining enrollment and program reductions.

Unfortunately, after a two-year break, from 2005-2007, we are having to cut the budget again. This time it is going to be more difficult. Based on our own estimates and those of the County Office of Education, we must reduce $14 million in a single year's budget, 2008-09.

I write this message to encourage parents, employees, and community members to take action in any or all of several ways:

1. Write your state legislators and tell them to protect Proposition 98, which insures that public education receives a certain percentage of ongoing state revenue.
2. Attend Board meetings and share your suggestions for budget reductions.
3. Make donations or help with fundraising at District schools to offset the expense of certain programs.
4. Understand that it is a state fiscal crisis that is causing this situation. Our District had already taken the action necessary to balance the budget and retain as many positions and programs as possible. Now we must re-visit the budget process.

We will get through this crisis, as we have in the past, but only if we work together. Please join me and the Board of Education as we try to do the difficult task of reducing expenses by approximately $14 million. Thank you in advance for your assistance and support.

Respectfully,
Gary McHenry
Superintendent