State Budget Bodes Well for Santa Barbara Schools

Governor Jerry Brown’s newly signed $183.2 billion budget bodes well for K-12 education and community colleges, boosting spending to roughly $11,000 per pupil this coming school year. In related news, Santa Barbara Unified School District’s Board of Education adopted a $161 million budget for 2017-18, a $1.4 million increase from last year. “We made necessary cost reductions … and recognize that continued reductions will be a priority in the years ahead,” Superintendent Cary Matsuoka said. “We will proceed with caution yet remain steadfast to [a] quality education for every child.” Work on the district’s new budget started late last year and accounts for projected enrollment drops and spiking pension payouts. It also includes a 9 percent reserve, exceeding state standards.