Even during the best of times, a school district budget is a bewildering document, full of funds earmarked for special purposes, and governed by decades of legislation designed to mitigate inequality. It’s so complex, in fact, that even the people paid to understand it have trouble. For example, OUSD’s budget office just turned up a potential shortfall that could be nearly $15 million. They’re not sure. Perhaps the team should drop by Santa Fe Elementary School Tuesday night.

School board member Jody London is hosting a forum designed to illuminate OUSD’s budget during this historic financial crisis.

Of course, a recession is only one more item of bad news to a school district that misplaces millions, owes more millions to the state, and is enduring a long, steady, revenue-sapping slide in enrollment.
 
The OUSD budget is even more complicated than just about every other California school districts’ budgets. Oakland Unified uses something called Results Based Budgeting, which places more control over funding decisions at school sites, but further complicates the budget process by allocating money on actual enrollment rather than projected enrollment. RBB, as it’s known, also gives money to schools based on the actual salaries of the teachers at the school. Nearly every other school district in the country uses a formula that calculates the average salary for a teacher in the district, and “charges” schools that amount. Schools with experienced and more expensive teachers pay the same as a school with a less seasoned and less costly faculty.

What: District 1 Schools Town Hall Meeting

When: Tuesday, April 14, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: Santa Fe Elementary School, 915 54th Stree
 
There's another forum Tuesday night on the subject of Oakland schools. Hosted by the Montclair Community Action's Education Group the forum is broader in scope than the one on the budget at Santa Fe. School board member David Kakishiba, Oakland Educators Association president Betty Olson-Jones, and others will discuss "critical issues facing Oakland schools."

What: Montclair Community Action's Education Group Forum

When: Tuesday, April 14, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: Montclair Women's Cultural Arts Club, 1650 Mountain Boulevard