$3.5 Billion OKd for L.A. Schools’ 1988-89 Budget

The Los Angeles school board tentatively approved a $3.5-billion budget for the 1988-89 school year--about $100 million greater than the amount it approved last year--that will pay for some new educational programs and a modest raise for district employees.

Among the largest new expenditures are $19.5 million to launch new bilingual education programs and $5 million to enhance student integration efforts.

The budget also includes a reserve of about $129 million, of which $95.75 million will be available for employee raises and health and medical benefits.

The board will approve the final budget during its Aug. 29 meeting.

In a written statement prepared for the board, Chief Financial Officer Robert Booker described the total proposed expenditures of $3.5 billion as a “very tight” budget, although not as austere as in previous years.

“We find ourselves in a financial condition that is probably more comfortable than it has been in several years, but one that still carries potential dangers if we do not budget responsibly and prudently,” he wrote.

The district has nearly 80,000 employees, including about 30,000 teachers, and expects to enroll 595,000 pupils this year.

Cost of Pay Raises

A 1% raise for the district’s 30,000 teachers would cost $11.5 million, while a 1% pay hike for all other employees would cost an additional $6 million, budget director Henry Jones said. Continuing health and medical benefits for all employees at last year’s level would cost $24 million.

According to Booker, the state is the source of about $2.3 billion, or 76%, of the money the district has to spend. The state lottery is expected to provide about $80 million in 1988-89, or about 3% of the district’s total general funds.

The federal government provides 9% of the district’s budget, while local sources, such as property taxes, cafeteria profits and interest on investments, account for the remainder.

Booker noted that because lottery income has fluctuated substantially during the three years that the lottery has existed, it represents “the most erratic and undependable” source of district money. State law prohibits spending lottery funds on school construction, one of the district’s most pressing needs, but specifies that the money be used to enhance classroom instruction.

The budget does not provide sufficient money to repair or refurbish deteriorating school buildings, Booker said. It includes about $38 million for maintenance, but the district faces a backlog of about $400 million worth of repair work, which would cover such needs as repainting schools that have not been painted in more than 30 years or fixing leaky roofs.

Some of the proposed expenditures are subject to the outcome of collective bargaining, such as the $19.5 million for new bilingual programs. The major portion of that allocation would pay for salary incentives for bilingual teachers.

BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

The Los Angeles Unified School District board has tentatively approved a $3.5-billion budget for the 1988-89 academic year, up 3% from $3.4 billion last year. Highlights of the new budget include: Reserve fund for employee salary raises and benefits: $95,750,000

Special funds for bilingual education: 19,500,000

Expansion of racial integration program: 5,000,000

Replace and clean underground storage tanks: 1,400,000

Safety improvements in high school science labs: 900,000

Equipment for high school vocational education courses: 815,000

Elementary school librarians and aides: 770,934

21 additional continuation school teachers: 673,823

Strengthen elementary instruction program: 475,328

Literary texts for junior high schools: 450,000

11 additional music teachers: 341,184

Gang prevention curriculum: 320,000

School-based management program: 300,000

Pregnant minors program: 282,245