SCHOOL VIEWS -- Susan Roper

the school repair bond measure that will be on the ballot Nov. 9. It is a

very important vote for the Huntington Beach Union High School District

-- one way or another. Let me explain.

As the superintendent of schools, it is my job to manage a district that

includes six high schools, one continuation high school, one alternative

high school and one adult school.

In my public speaking opportunities, I am always asked where all the

money we get from the state goes. Why can’t we learn to run the district

like a business? Why can’t we learn how to prioritize our money?

Well, we do run the district like a business. It is a big business.

The Huntington Beach Union High School District is a $100 million a year

business that includes 14,000 students, 5,000 adult students and 1,200

employees. It is the second largest employer in Huntington Beach. At the

same time, the district has one of the lowest ratios of administrators

per student in Orange County.

And, just like a business, we have to make some very tough decisions each

and every day -- one of those being how to prioritize what money we do

get.

If you think that all of your property taxes go to our local high

schools, you are wrong.

Property taxes are collected by the county, then sent to Sacramento where

they take their share and then return some of it to us. What is returned

to us often comes with strings attached, and in the last several years,

state funding has not been adequate to pay for urgently needed repairs.

School financing in California is incredibly complex. The district is

dependent on the state for 91% of its budget, and the state has simply

not lived up to its commitment to education. Revenues from the state

lottery provide only 2% of the overall budget for California’s schools.

California school funding decisions have shifted to Sacramento. We no

longer have local control over our spending dollars. The state mandates

many programs, but does not provide the mechanisms to pay for them.

California spending on education is among the lowest in the nation.

Available funds are used primarily for instruction and school operation.

Since the district’s annual budget is dedicated to instruction and

operations there is very little money available for extensive repairs.

When we talk about “urgently needed repairs” we are not talking about a

paint job or new desks. We are talking about major repairs such as

replacing the entire No. 300 building at Fountain Valley High School that

is sinking, causing walls to crack and pull away from the foundation.

We are talking about entire sewage and drainage systems that are old and

outdated at Westminster High School, causing the bathrooms to back up and

student areas to flood when it rains.

We are talking about the No. 100 buildings at Marina and at Edison high

schools that are sinking, again, causing the walls and floors to pull

away from the foundations. Our high schools are 30, 40 and 75 years old.

Every one of our six high schools needs to be retrofitted to current

earthquake standards. Security and alarm systems need to be upgraded.

Every school has termite infestations destroying the woodwork on doors,

walls and cabinets and even destroying books!

Roofs are badly in need of repairs to eliminate leaks during rainy

season.

Each and every high school in our school district needs major repairs.

And if we keep putting off the repairs, they will only get worse, more

expensive and more dangerous.

We are going to have to deal with this problem today, tomorrow or next

year. It won’t go away.

The upside to Measure A is that the school district can get its hands on

the money it needs to do these repairs, right now. We here at the local

level will control those funds.

The downside is that every property owner will pay $27 a year per

$100,000 assessed valuation.

So if your home is worth $200,000, it will cost you approximately $54 per

year. If Measure A is not passed, the worst of the repairs will be made

over a longer period of time, increasing the cost to do so.

I have said on many occasions that a good education is not just about

books and teachers, it is also about providing a good, clean and safe

learning environment that encourages concentration and education.

We have excellent teachers and deserving students.

The district’s student scores on the SAT exam were 54 points above the

state average in 1997-98. The district has won numerous awards for

academic excellence.

California’s ranking has plunged from fifth to 37th nationwide in per

pupil spending for education.

We need to realize that these students are future business leaders,

schoolteachers, entrepreneurs, politicians and parents.

We owe it to them and the students of the future to do what we can to

provide them with the tools for a good education.

Whether you support or oppose the school repair bond, Measure A, it is

important that you exercise your right to vote Nov. 9.

Let’s at least set an example for our students and show them that we care

enough to take the time to be counted.

Susan Roper is Superintendent of Huntington Beach Union High School

District.