Irvine Unified Plans No budget Cuts - Thank Irvine Company

[quote author="CK" date=1236939000][quote author="irvine" date=1236921998]For those who always complain about the Irvine company, and think there is no difference between IUSD and TUSD, think twice. TUSD 's 1st grade class size will increase by 20%, 30% for 2nd and 3rd grade. All of this will just make irvine real estate more in demand then TUSD, etc.



While the district is on relatively sound financial footing for now, the future will hold challenges. Irvine Unified expects to fall back into a "revenue limit" formula in 2010-11, which means it would once again be reliant on state funds. That could translate into a $10 million shortfall without corrective action.</blockquote>


While I am not happy that there is a *possibility* of 24 students in my little girls 1st grade class at Myford next year (as opposed to the 20 she would have had if we stayed in IUSD at Westpark), I have zero regrets about moving from an aging IUSD school getting mediocre 900 API score, to Myford which is still sparklng new and modern and a 940 API score. And if she ends up getting overflowed out of Myford, it will be to Ladera ---- with its dismal 953 API. I'm pretty sure she won't be heading off to prison anytime soon due to her 1st grade TUSD experience.



Don't get me wrong, our Kinder year in the IUSD school district was just fine. We were very happy with Westpark Elem, and have also heard great things from parents about the other IUSD schools. But in honesty, I was a bit underwhelmed by the whole experience. Maybe I had been trained to think fireworks were going to go off when we walked through the doors of IUSD....but they did not. And we moved out of IUSD without hesitation, only to find our neighbors already attending TUSD schools just as enthusiastic about their district. And as a matter of fact, TWICE now Westpark Elem has offered us the option to remain at its school in IUSD, despite our TUSD address (as recently as this afternoon when we gave them our 2009-10 address confirmation paperwork, with the boxed checked we were not returning next year). They said they will have the space, all we needed was to get a release from TUSD. Both times we thanked them for their offer, and turned them down.



And do not underestimate the ability of a motivated parent base and PTA to make up funding gaps at TUSD and any other districts getting cuts....</blockquote>


I also sure neither your daughter nor my son will be heading of to prison anytime soon. Not trying to make a point which school is better. If you read my other postings, you will know I am believer of parent involvements, and how kids get motivated both socially and academically. By the way, 900 is not a mediocre score. Going to a api 900 school or api940 school makes virtually no difference especially in an elementary school.



In case you miss my point, what I want to say is because of the perception about IUSD, and Irvine company's involvement, the real estate value in Irvine will drop less comparing with neighboring cities in a down market, while will increase more when the market comes back. The latest news adds to the "perception" that IUSD might be better. Perception is reality even when "realty" might be different. It does make a difference in real estate price whether we like it or not.
 
Irvine 123 --- I must have been editing my post while you were typing. I think we were making the same point, I just didn't say it well the first time.
 
[quote author="Astute Observer" date=1236950495]The official said the TIC helped financially, but reporter contribute the stability to the Basic Aid funding. If I am the reporter, I would ask how much did the TIC helped. I feel you guys give too much credit to TIC.



Large area of Irvine is under the control of TUSD, and if TIC is really such a good supporter, it would have give proportional amount to TUSD as well.</blockquote>
Well said! I too would like to know how TIC helped???
 
[quote author="ipoplaya" date=1236927307][quote author="usctrojanman29" date=1236924528]

Yup, good old greedy Irvine Company...having all the Irvine homeowners and renters, including the ones who dont have kids, subsidizing the school system. Good old Donny Boy deserves a metal. haha</blockquote>


That's one of the reasons I'll buy a house in Irvine. Kidless shleps like you, paying high IAC rents, will help support a good education for my boys...



When boy starts K in September, I will say a silent thank you to my friend SC.</blockquote>
*taking a bow* Just doin my part IPO. haha
 
Well, that makes me happier about the overpriced rent I pay in my IAC complex. The newsletter may be gone, the clubhouse may now have compact flourescent CFC bulbs turned off by default, only one pool might be heated, but at least my kids still get the good school, which is why I chose to fork out the rent in the first place.
 
[quote author="usctrojanman29" date=1236954404][quote author="Astute Observer" date=1236950495]The official said the TIC helped financially, but reporter contribute the stability to the Basic Aid funding. If I am the reporter, I would ask how much did the TIC helped. I feel you guys give too much credit to TIC.



Large area of Irvine is under the control of TUSD, and if TIC is really such a good supporter, it would have give proportional amount to TUSD as well.</blockquote>
Well said! I too would like to know how TIC helped???</blockquote>


While this article makes no specific mention of numbers it is safe to say that TIC/Donald Bren is writing a big check. They have given the district 6 and 7 figure sums in the past and they will continue to in the future... as long as they have a significant investment in Irvine.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1236931625]Impacted schools in LA school personnel do visit the child's home and they often target the Hispanics. In Irvine schools they look the other way because the illegal Chinese kids help raise school test scores. Irvine schools do not want to send away the smart kids.</blockquote>


More likely it is due to a lazy administration that doesn't give much of a crap. Plus, Irvine is pretty accepting of kids who want to transfer in (in general) usually the more difficult part is getting the home district (i.e. TUSD) to give the child a waiver to enroll in Irvine.
 
Don't be so sure IUSD won't be making budget cuts. See budget update from today --- class size increases front and center:





<a href="http://www.iusd.org/budget_watch/documents/BudgetNotebook040109.pdf">IUSD Budget Update - 4/1/09</a>
 
More cuts to IUSD coming, maybe $7M on top of the $11M already planned. By the sounds of this report, the class sizes in IUSD might go to 24 to 25 students in grades 1-2; 25 to 26 in grade 3.



<a href="http://iusd.org/budget_watch/documents/BudgetNotebook061909.pdf">IUSD Budget Watch - June 19</a>
 
[quote author="CK" date=1245457292]More cuts to IUSD coming, maybe $7M on top of the $11M already planned. By the sounds of this report, the class sizes in IUSD might go to 24 to 25 students in grades 1-2; 25 to 26 in grade 3.



<a href="http://iusd.org/budget_watch/documents/BudgetNotebook061909.pdf">IUSD Budget Watch - June 19</a></blockquote>
Where's the White Knight...errr Donny Boy??? $10MM is nothing to the guy, make like $20 to you and me.
 
IUSD is going after <a href="http://www.irvineta.org/tempBoard609.pdf">teacher comp and benefits</a> for the 09-10 school year...
 
[quote author="ipoplaya" date=1246436877]IUSD is going after <a href="http://www.irvineta.org/tempBoard609.pdf">teacher comp and benefits</a> for the 09-10 school year...</blockquote>


Just make sure the union is ready to fight tooth and nail against any pay scale freezes. This one hurts not only in the year it occurs, but every year of your career after that. I'm not sure what the scale looks like for your wife (I'm assuming she teaches in IUSD) but I was exceedingly glad that our union fought against any scale freezes, I have been essentially frozen from any raises for the past 5 years and this is the year I finally get a raise. I have several colleagues who will finish their Master's Degrees this year and after spending thousands in order to get a raise, could have seen a freeze eliminate the raise they worked hard and basically paid for. Most of us have accepted the fact that 3 days will be cut from the school year, but we also will not be working on those days. Good Luck.
 
[quote author="freedomCM" date=1246927751]Just be happy that you aren't teaching at the CSU or UC's</blockquote>


My brother is a prof at UCI, I guess the 8% cut will hurt a bit.
 
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