Chief Business Official Tim Rahill will present the second interim financial report Thursday to school board trustees, showing that Benicia Unified School District will operate at a loss of more than $600,000 in Fiscal Year 2014-15.

The district provides the 2014-15 second interim financial report using information from the state budget, with the new state Local Control Funding Formula (LCCF) for schools and certain budget assumptions, Rahill wrote in a report to the board.

The LCCF is the new way the state funds school districts, including BUSD.

All restricted categorical funds have been rolled into a base funding per student, plus a supplemental grant add-on for English learners, local socioeconomic students, and foster youth.

The LCCF provides about $6,828 per student, funding based on attendance of the students, not just enrollment.

One of the budget assumptions, Rahill wrote, is that for 2014-15 BUSD will continue to receive the majority of its funds from the state based on the new LCCF.

To receive the LCCF funding, the district was required to create and adopt a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) for measuring the progress of the school district, which includes three sections: student outcomes, student and parent engagement, and conditions of learning.

Using the information from the approved state budget, Rahill wrote that BUSD will be operating at a loss of more than $600,000 for the 2014-15 fiscal year, a shortfall that will be covered by one-time reserves.

The operating loss, he wrote, includes annual increases in operating costs, such as salary and increased payroll benefit rates; program costs from the LCAP; and salary costs for the confidential/management group for the 2014-15 school year. It does not include any costs associated with the current negotiations with certificated (teacher) and classified (staff) employee unions.

Revenues budgeted for the 2014-15 school year are $37.8 million, which includes:

• $32,660,702 from the LCCF;

• $1,418,563 from other state sources;

• $1,193,299 from the federal government; and

• $2,481764 from local and other sources.

Expenses budgeted for the school year are $38.4 million, exceeding district income by $636,337:

• $19,970,309 for certificated salaries;

• $5,999,802 for classified salaries;

• $6,345,261 for employee benefits;

• $1,770,871 for supplies; and

• $4,304,422 for services.

Trustees will be asked to approve the second interim financial report.

In other matters, Deputy Superintendent Michael Gardner will ask the board to approve a new job description for the position of mental health coordinator, a new position in the district that is being funded by the county’s Special Education Local Plan Area.

The mental health coordinator works under the direction of the director of special services, Gardner wrote in a report to the board, and the position’s primary function is to coordinate mental health services and support for all elementary and secondary schools.

Some of the typical duties of the mental health coordinator are to provide direct counseling services for students, social work services and consultation services for staff and families.

If you go:
BUSD trustees will meet Thursday at 6 p.m. in a closed session, and in open session at 7 p.m in the BUSD board room, 350 East K St. For a complete agenda visit http://benicia.agendaonline.net/public.