Millbrae Schools Face Budget Deficit

The Millbrae School District will reduce instructional days and increase class size in an effort to combat its budget deficit.

The district board of trustees unanimously passed the budget on Monday for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, with $15.82 million in revenues but $16.16 million in expenses. 

“Not only do we have to focus on this upcoming year, we also have to make some guesses into what’s going to happen in two years,” said Michele Dodge, MSD interim chief business officer.

Class sizes in K-3 will increase to 28 from about 20. The academic calendar will be 175 instead of 180 days and teachers and staff will be laid off. 

The district may also need to further increase class sizes in other grades. But, the state education code allows schools a maximum of about 30-32 students per class, and it financially penalizes districts that exceed that number, according to Dodge. However, Millbrae can ask for waivers to maintain full funding.

The likelihood of the state adequately funding schools seems dim, and the Millbrae School District may dip into its reserve fund, as it expects to lose about $330 per student in state funds.

Amid all the state cuts, the school district is hoping to raise money in November with a .