MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL
VOL. 55, NO. 3
November 22, 2019
41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539
FUSD RESPONDS TO DECLINING ENROLLMENT WITH BUDGET CUTS By Lily Oh, Larry Shi, Sakshi Umrotkar & Mingxin Wang Staff Writers
STATISTICS Based on the plan for the fiscal year, the FUSD Board accordingly predicts the number of continuing students. According to SURFBoardE Student Member Karen Li, FUSD analyzes birth rates and enrollment from Pre-K to determine the number of returning students. Since district funding is primarily based on enrollment figures, the number of enrolled students is integral in the budgeting process. “Student enrollment is where the Board gets its funding since the state provides funding per student, and if they have more students in the district, it’s better for them,” Li said. Other factors, including the number of people living in Fremont, also affect the result of their predictions. According to FUSD Board of Education President Michele Berke, housing calculations play an essential role in predicting enrollment. “The number of developments that we had anticipated would become open did not, and a huge example of that was the development in Warm Springs … There are thousands of new homes there, and the developers there helped us build a brand
STATISTICS CONT.
On October 24, FUSD Superintendent Kim Wallace sent a message to parents announcing that the district is facing a decrease in student enrollment after years of steady increase. FUSD Public Information Officer Brian Killgore forwarded Wallace’s email to all FUSD teachers on October 31. Killgore said that it was sent out to teachers a week after parents received it due to technical errors. Per Wallace, the email identified declining enrollment as a trend reflected in 16 out of 18 Alameda County school districts since the 2018-19 school year.
$3,900,000 estimated lost revenue
641
16/18
fewer students than projected for 2019-20
districts also in decline in alameda
possible causes
new elementary school.” However, the elementary school could not be opened this past fall due to changes in developments and housing issues. In the email sent to parents conveying FUSD’s calculations, Wallace said, “The loss of 641 students for the current school year represents an estimated $3.9 million in lost revenue.” However, Fremont Unified District Teachers Association (FUDTA)President Victoria Birbeck--Herrera believes that there are discrepancies in their data, instead citing a loss of 185 students along with the additional absence of 73 teachers across the district this year. With regard to FUSD’s budgeting, FUDTA responded saying that the supposed dismissal of 73 FUSD teachers results in reduced expenditures significant enough to compensate for a lower budget. “[The dismissal of 73 teachers] means the district spent about $7.5 million less on teachers this year, so even though they have $3.9 million dollars less, they’ve already saved almost twice that amount,” Birbeck-Herrera said.
results & effects
While Wallace does not mention possible causes for the decline in her announcement, MSJ Counselor DeAnne Andrews suspects that it is due in part to the rising property costs in Fremont. Andrews said, “The housing market is a factor; it’s a big problem. Across the Bay Area, no one can really afford the housing.” Berke also emphasized the correlation between rising housing prices and declining district enrollment. “Housing prices have gone up — I’m not sure if people can afford to live here. I don’t have the data to say that for sure, but anecdotally, we all know that the prices of homes are going up, and if you’re a young family, you have to be making a lot of money to buy a house here.”
According to Li, FUSD plans to implement a parcel tax, a form of property tax that is assessed based on the characteristics of a unit of property, instead of on its value. It is considered a qualified special tax in CA, meaning it may be imposed by a local unit of government. This parcel tax would allow FUSD to compensate for budget cuts and revenue reduction consequential to the
Reduced revenue is a direct result of the declining student enrollment in the district. Solutions that have already been taken by the district include the reduction in the number of teachers and decrease in course offerings all around the district. As a result of the diminishing number of courses and teachers, FUSD schools have higher student-to-teacher ratios. “The class sizes were impacted and students had more restrictions on the ability to move between classes at the beginning of the year,” FUDTA Committee Chair Peter Geschke said. Moreover, the decreased number of classes offered at FUSD schools leaves students with little choice in
Since 2010, the median value of owner-occupied housing units with a mortgage has increased by approximately 87% from $585,400 to $1,096,400 in 2018. On the contrary, median household income in the US has risen by approximately 24% in the same time period, from $50,046 to $61,937. Such mounting prices could be one of the factors behind the reported decline of student enrollment in FUSD.
decreased enrollment without further increasing class sizes or limiting the availability of courses for students. Li said, “Based on community input, the board is trying to decide on a parcel tax amount to increase educational funding. The tax serves as an attempt to reduce any additional budget cuts that directly affect students, teachers, and staff.”
choosing some courses that fit their needs. Many teachers have expressed concerns about how these board decisions will affect schools and students in the long run. AP Psychology Teacher Rachel Tevlin said, “Instead of investing in infrastructure and creating a more robust school system, they’re trying to cut tiny pieces that are just going to hurt students.”
Parcel tax
GRAPHICS BY FLATICON.COM.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS SOCCER
On November 1, 20 MSJ special education students participated in the Special Olympics Soccer event at American High School. Read coverage about the competition and what students took away from the event!
KANYE WEST, RELIGION, & JESUS IS KING
Kanye West’s latest album, Jesus is King, has drawn controversy for its use of gospel music and religious themes. Read on to find out if Kanye is being an opportunist, or genuine in this musical direction.
FOR MORE COVERAGE,
VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG