School money trouble sparks debate over pay for top finance helper

A school district in California is facing serious cash shortfalls after years of hiring too many staff for the money coming in. With student numbers tumbling from 16, 000 in 2016 to fewer than 12, 000 by 2025, the money that follows each student has shrunk fast. School leaders say they need more cash than usual to turn things around. Their plan? Give a big raise to the finance chief brought in to fix the mess. The proposal adds $76, 000 to her current pay, bringing it close to $230, 000. The person in line for the raise is a financial expert who has worked in several school systems. She helped cut the district’s spending by nearly $2. 8 million this year and aims to save more than $30 million over the next two years. District officials argue she has put in far more hours than expected and should be paid accordingly. Yet teachers watching these moves feel frustrated. Many say their own workloads have grown without extra pay, while top administrators receive larger compensation packages.California schools normally get money based on how many students attend. When classrooms empty, so does the budget. Officials from outside the district have called the financial troubles “far more serious than any other district in the state. ” Still, the finance chief’s raise has raised eyebrows. Some on the board want to make sure the increase reflects only the extra work done, not rewards for poor past choices. Teachers’ emails to the board highlight the gap between pay and effort. One first-grade teacher wrote about the pressure to volunteer extra time beyond the regular school day. The teachers’ union also called the raise unnecessary, saying tough workloads shouldn’t automatically mean more money for high-level staff. At the same time, other top officials in the district already earn more than $200, 000 when benefits are counted. The debate shows how tight budgets and high expectations sit uneasily together.