Canan Tasci, Staff Writer
Created: 10/14/2011 12:12:00 PM PDT

CHINO – Chino Valley Unified School District officials worry the state’s financial crisis may soon change the district’s current education system.

During a budget study session Thursday, a Chino Valley Unified official told school board members that the district will face up to $7.8 million in cuts to its 2012-13 school year if the state doesn’t meet its revenue projections.

“This is grim because it’s not the first time we’re experiencing cuts, this is cumulative over several years and its forced us to look into programmatic and personnel cuts,” said Sandra Chen, district assistant superintendent of business services.

The San Bernardino County Office of Education has informed districts to prepare their budget for mid-year cuts and for the worst-case scenario.

If the state comes up short between $2 billion and $4 billion in revenue, K-12 districts must reduce their budget up to 4 percent and reduce their transportation budget by half.

Community colleges will be subjected to reductions as well. Reduction to transportation for the Chino Valley District would translate to $390,093.

To assist in meeting their budget goals, K-12 districts can choose to reduce their school year by an additional seven days, or up to 168 days. Reduction of school year is contingent to bargaining with their unions.

More over, Chino Valley Unified has already reduced their school year by five days.

The K-12 system is safe only if the state’s revenue projection falls $2 billion to $1 billion short.

That said, there will be a reduction of $23 million to child care services and a reduction to community colleges and the state’s higher education systems.

“If the state is short in revenue, we’ll get cut by 4 percent, which is our bread and butter,” Chen said. “We’re supposed to get $5,200 per student and we’ll be reduced by $260 if the state doesn’t meet its projections.”

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