The Future is Positive for PUSD Schools


"The state of the district is good and the future is positive." Those words were spoken by PUSD School Board President Lawrence Torres on the night of April 4 at Sierra Madre Middle School. His speech was the main event at the annual State of the Schools presentation which was attended by parents, administrators, school board members, and staff. Torres updated us on our finances and gave us an overview of the financial health of the district.

We were also reminded that Measure J passed with 70% of the vote! Thank you, voters!

The event itself, as I experienced it, while sitting in the front row of the auditorium next to a representative from Congresswoman Judy Chu’s office and Senator Portantino’s office, was a simple, yet powerful reminder that democracy isn't possible without participants.

Sitting in the audience amongst friends and colleagues I took notes as Torres spoke. A few facts intrigued me:
  • We will meet our fiscal obligations for the next three years.
  • The largest source of federal funds to our district is in money for special education and Title 1
  • This year the district received 5.9 million in Title 1 funds and 5.2 million in special education funds. (While the state also provides special education funding the federal government only provides about 9% of total costs.)
  • The state provides these funds through the local control funding formula (LCFF) which has two sources of revenue: property taxes and state aid. The 2019 allocation to PUSD is $161 million.
  • These funds come to us through base grants (general operations) and supplemental concentration grants (for specific populations: foster youth, english learners and students who qualify because of having a low socio-economic status.) 
  • During the presidency of Jimmy Carter federal dollars to schools were at 12% of the total dollars. Today the feds provide about 10%.
  • And important fact: California ranks 41 in per pupil spending.
The evening began with the Blair JROTC flag ceremony and a speech by Sierra Madre student. Additionally, we were treated with a song from the upcoming Sierra Madre Middle School musical Bye Bye Birdie.

-JHL

Bye, Bye Birdie 



Blair JROTC

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