[BHS etree] ETREE: Correction of BSEP item

[bhs at idiom.com]

contact:  Jay Nitschke [mailto:Jay_Nitschke at berkeley.k12.ca.us]
Just an additional item of clarification about Measure B and BSEP.


Measure B funds will available for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 school years.
These funds will not be available to reduce class size in the current
school year.

BSEP, the Berkeley Schools Excellence Project, does indeed provide
significant resources for class size reduction, as well as provide
educational materials, support libraries and the music program, fund
facilities improvements that are not maintenance yet not big enough for
construction bonds, and public information. While the proportion of BSEP
funds as part of the entire budget has not changed significantly, all
district dollars are not buying as much as they once did. Measure B does
not alter BSEP, BSEP continues until 2006 when it will be reconsidered by
the voters.

BSEP provides each school with $183/student (in 2004-05) for enrichment,
which funds a long list of important things to the high school, as you
noted.

Decisions about spending site enrichment funds are made by a BSEP
committee at each school that includes the principal, teachers, and
parents elected by parents, and in the case of the high school, students. 

Oversight of all BSEP funds throughout the district is provided by the
BSEP Planning and Oversight Committee (P&O), which is comprised of parent
representatives from each school (one from each, two from schools with
more than 500 students, four from the high school). Ultimately, of course,
spending of all funds must be approved by the School Board. An independent
audit is done as a second check (along with P&O) that the funds are being
spent in accordance with the measure. When the state FCMAT auditors looked
at the district budget, they praised the careful diligence of the P&O
committee in overseeing BSEP monies.

On the School Board agenda for the October 20 meeting is an item to charge
the BSEP P&O Committee with oversight of Measure B funds, should it pass. 

More information about BSEP is available at the district website:
www.berkeley.k12.ca.us.

Jay Nitschke


Jay Nitschke
Berkeley Unified School District
510-644-8549