Revised budget gets high marks

Officials in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District gave favorable marks to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s revised budget on Tuesday, although Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard said it was unclear how much the governor’s proposed spending increases could actually benefit the district.

The budget — known as the “May revision” and featuring a number of changes from Schwarzenegger’s original plan in January — allots $68.6 billion to public education and projects a state record $11,584 in per-pupil spending for the 2007-08 school year. In addition to increasing funds for preschool, special education and other key items, the budget proposes grants for vocational instructors, college preparatory courses and college nursing programs.

Hubbard was pleased that Schwarzenegger’s budget also provided full funding for Proposition 98, which provides basic needs for public schools.

“The bottom line is that it appears as if they’re fully funding education, at least as it relates to Proposition 98,” Hubbard said.

The budget also proposes a boost in preschool funding in lower-scoring schools. Newport-Mesa preschool director Lorie Hoggard welcomes the extra support.

“I think it’s a positive thing for our community,” she said. “Having more children have access to quality preschool experiences is going to raise the level of success for our children, long-term.”

The May revision devotes a considerable amount of funds to career technical education, both at the public school and college level. Schwarzenegger’s budget proposes $52 million to expand career programs and allots extra funds for teachers and counselors who specialize in job programs. Hubbard said he was pleased by the initiative but wasn’t sure if state standards would permit Newport-Mesa to add many more elective courses.

If the state provides more funds for vocational programs, the Coast Community College District may stand to benefit more than Newport-Mesa. Trustee Jim Moreno, who ran last fall on a platform of improving vocational classes, praised the governor’s attention to job training, though he said the budget would only cover so much.

“With the competition for the dollar, something’s better than nothing,” he said. “You’re not going to get the whole pie, but you’ve got to be sure you’ll be ready for whatever’s available.”