Monday, April 28, 2025
The Long Beach Board of Education met on March 11 to review the proposed budget for the upcoming school year, addressing a range of issues, including staffing adjustments, student programs and operational costs.
One of the key budget points discussed was the increase in personnel costs due to step increases on the salary schedule as staff members advance through their pay scales. To offset these increases, the district will adjust spending in certain areas based on historical data and projected needs. For instance, the supply budget, which is allocated on a per-student basis, will be reduced in line with lower student enrollment. However, the per-student allocation will remain consistent to ensure students have access to necessary classroom materials. The budget for substitute teachers is also being revised based on five-year spending trends, reflecting actual usage patterns.
The district is proposing to add three new staff positions at the elementary level. These include an Academic Intervention Services reading teacher at East Elementary School, an AIS math teacher at Lido Elementary School and a WINGS teacher at Lindell Elementary School.
“We’re also looking to reduce one general education class at East Elementary School based on the number of students that are moving from one grade to the next,” Michael DeVito, assistant superintendent for finance and operations, said. “And as we plan to do that, you will see no class size above 24 students.”
The district is planning to increase funding for field trips to account for higher transportation and activity costs. The per-student allocation for field trips will rise from $36 to $40 despite the overall decline in enrollment. Fixed costs, such as utilities and maintenance, are expected to remain stable or increase slightly.
Student health and safety were also discussed, particularly the importance of the district’s investment in Automated External Defibrillators. AEDs have been placed in strategic locations throughout school buildings and athletic fields, thanks to a recent donation.
“If you look around all the schools and all those fields, we’ve actually updated all the locations with easily accessible AEDs,” Board President Sam Pinto said. “Even this week, there was a high school referee who had a heart attack medical condition, and an AED was used for revival. So, it’s definitely a focus of us the board, to make sure that we keep the district and the students and the staff and the visitors as a safe as possible, and the increase of these accessibility and functional AEDs really serves to that point.”
Several upcoming workshops will allow parents and community members to ask questions and provide input on budget priorities. Meetings focused on secondary school programs and special education are scheduled for March and April, with the final budget adoption planned for April 23. The community will vote on the budget and for trustee elections on May 20.
