Hart Board to review district’s budget

The William S. Hart Union High School District. Dan Watson/The Signal
The William S. Hart Union High School District. Dan Watson/The Signal
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The William S. Hart Union High School District Governing Board is expected to review changes to the district’s budget that include increases in revenue and expenses, a decline in enrollment and changes to state and federal funding.

This First Interim Budget Report for the 2017-18 fiscal year details the financial condition of the district as of Oct. 31 and includes any budget adjustments during the same timeframe.

Despite changes to the overall budget, the district is expected to receive a positive certification for its first interim report.

Overall, the district’s ending General Fund balance increased from approximately $24.8 million to $25.1 million due to increases in the district’s revenue.

Major changes to revenue included an adjustments to local, state and federal resources.  These changes included an additional $2 million from the Local Control Funding Formula, an additional $2.2 million from Title 1, Title 2 and Title 3, an increase of $3.9 million from the state and an increase of $890,000 from local sources.

Changes to expenditures included $887,919 for salaries and benefits, $4 million for books and supplies, $1.9 million for services and other operating expenses, $235,904 for capital outlay and $3.3 million for interfund transfers out.

The budget also reflected a decrease in overall student enrollment by 797 students.  Originally the district projected enrollment to be at 27,355 students, but it was reported to be at 26,558 for the year.  These numbers include both the district’s regular enrollment and charter school enrollment.

According to the interim report, this large decline in enrollment is due to the Hart District’s denial of Albert Einstein Academy of Letters, Arts and Sciences’ charter renewal petition in March.

Enrollment is also expected to decrease in the following two years with an expected 22,578 students in 2018-19 and 22,479 students in 2019-20.

However, despite the decrease in enrollment, the district’s average daily attendance (ADA) increased from 21,467.38 to 21,710.75due to the state’s adjustments for districts with declining enrollment.

In the future, the Hart District is projected to have an ending fund balance of $14.8 million in 2018-19 and $10.2 million in 2019-20.

According to the report, the district met its economic reserves and is continuing to monitor its deficit spending.

Construction, Fees

Governing Board members are also expected to approve of various agreements for projects at the district office, Saugus High School, Sierra Vista Junior High School and Golden Oak Adult School.

First, the district is expected to approve of a fee amendment with NAC Architecture for work on the Saugus High School Auditorium Project.

The amendment, totaling $9,730, is for work to provide and submit calculations to the Division of the State Architect and to secure DSA approval of the project.

Board members are also expected to extend a lease agreement to June 2018 for 11 portable classrooms at Sierra Vista Junior High School, as the district works to complete construction of classroom additions on campus.

The extended agreement with Class Leasing, LLC is expected to cost $34,560 for six-month lease payment and $37,005 to dismantle and removal of buildings.

The board is also expected to approve of a purchase for a modular classroom building addition for Golden Oak Adult School at Centre Pointe Parkway.

This refurbished modular building Class Leasing, LLC is approved by DSA and is expected to cost $83,059.

Finally, the Governing Board is also expected to approve of an architectural fee proposal from Taller Dos Flores for the work done before meetings about the district’s Career Technical Education Projects.

Since February, Guadalupe Flores of Taller Dos Flores has attended meetings at least twice a month with career technical staff, facilities staff and others to set goals for the Career Technical facility projects, review and comment on plans, provide direction for the projects and brainstorm future projects.

According to the agenda item, attendance at this meeting is a requirement, but Taller Dos Flores did not include the time required to prepare for these meetings in its earlier project proposals.

This proposal from Taller Dos Flores is to cover the cost of preparing and attending these meetings.  This is expected to cost no more than $18,500.

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661-287-5575
On Twitter as @_ChristinaCox_

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