Culver City’s proposed budget includes $1 million in funding for Culver City Unified School District that covers refuse services, sewer charges, CCUSD crossing guards, and a new timing system for swim meets at The Plunge.
The Culver City Unified School District is primarily funded by the state, with additional support from federal funding and local revenues. The vast majority of the budget is determined by Average Daily Attendance (ADA), keeping the schools largely at the mercy of enrollment trends and state budget fluctuations.
Over the last few years, temporary COVID-19 relief dollars from the federal government helped to stabilize school districts across the country. But those one-time funds have now expired, creating structural shortfalls in districts like ours that used those dollars to keep essential programs and staffing in place during the pandemic recovery.
Its not just about cutting costs; there are punitive measures for school districts that can’t make ends meet. According to EdSource, “A district that runs out of money will get a state loan but lose its autonomy, and a state-appointed trustee will oversee the district’s operations. The district will honor existing contracts, but the trustee will have veto power over new contracts and other decisions that the school board makes.”
This year, CCUSD faces a $1 million shortfall needed to meet its state-mandated reserve and maintain a “qualified” budget certification. Without that reserve, the District risks falling into “negative certification,” triggering increased oversight and potentially forcing difficult cuts to student services and staff.
Getting that money from the city and not the state allows CCUSD to keep it’s certification and stay fully autonomous.
School Board President Triston Ezidore offered “The idea for a one-time grant from the City to the District was first agendized by me while chairing the City-District Liaison Committee. At that meeting, we discussed the importance of strengthening our partnership with the City—not just symbolically, but in a way that reflects a shared commitment to the success of Culver City students.”
School Board Vice President Stephanie Loredo noted that “CCUSD receives less local revenue compared to other districts, and the potential loss of federal funding could really have an impact.” Considering all the factors weighing on the district, from the wildfires in January to delayed income tax filings, getting the funds from the city is “a very small amount for the city budget, but it’s life-saving for our schools.”
Ezidore cited the Santa Monica/Malibu School District as an example. “When the District is in financial distress, the City should step in to support, just as cities like Santa Monica have done through longstanding partnerships. Following the Liaison Committee discussion, District staff met directly with City staff to assess the need and explore how the City could help.”
The city is expected to approve the budget before the July 1 deadline.
Judith Martin-Straw