Los Gatos-Saratoga high school district facing $3.2 million deficit

The Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District is facing an million deficit this fiscal year Patrick Bernhardt the executive director of business services prepared a presentation for the school board outlining the district s financial status Each December school districts are required by the California Educational Code to analysis their financial status from July to Oct to certify whether they can meet their financial obligations for the current year and the next two years According to the school district s newsletter the school board approved this analysis and submitted a positive certification to the Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools stating that it can meet its obligations for all three years According to the presentation a raise for non-management staff that was approved in June was a factor in accruing a million defecit Employees under the District Teachers Association and California School Employees Association negotiated a raise and management employees were granted a raise This is the first time that these expenses were incorporated into the budget a million increase in personnel costs which make up of budgeted general fund expenditures Despite administrative reorganization saving selected costs the overall salary expenses for certificated administrators increased by due to paying for a long-term substitute administrator at Saratoga High School and the the last two months of the former superintendent s separation payments In its adopted budget the school district initially prepared for a balanced budget of about million in revenue and around million in expenditures However by the first interim update the district was expected to earn million in revenue and spend the same amount The district initially planned to transfer around million to other funds but that figure is projected to increase to almost million this fiscal year To address the deficit the school district is looking for solutions to cut costs including but not limited to evaluating its contract services examining special coaching spending and upgrading resource efficiency