ALL-YEAR SCHOOL BONUS CUT STATE REDUCES AID FOR EXPENSES OF EXTRA MONTHS.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Antelope Valley's two largest elementary school districts have lost more than $1 million in state funding that helps pay for the day-to-day costs of operating schools on a year-round schedule.

The reduction came after eligibility rules changed and more school districts started applying for their share of $76 million from the state, reducing the amount that each receives, officials said Wednesday.

``We found out about it six weeks ago,'' Palmdale School District Superintendent Nancy Smith said. ``We lost $600,000 out of the budget in one fell swoop.

``It hurts. It really tightens our budget up. We're hoping we won't have to backfill it with the special-ed money,'' Smith said.

Smith said the district might have to use money received in a settlement of a special-education lawsuit to make up for the loss. In the settlement with the state, the district will receive $858,000 this year and then $85,800 annually for a decade.

In the Lancaster School District, Superintendent Steve Gocke said administrators must come up with a way to save $500,000. Gocke said funding last year was cut to 60 percent of the previous level, so over the past two years his district has lost about $1 million.

``It's killing us,'' Gocke said. ``This year, it's a half-million bucks out of the budget. It's hurting (teacher) salary negotiations.''

The issue came up during a meeting between Antelope Valley school superintendents and Assemblyman George Runner, R-Lancaster.

Runner said he would do what he can to remedy the situation, but said the affected school districts need a stronger lobbying effort to be heeded in Sacramento.

``You need to strengthen your role. It's a good and right story that needs to be told,'' Runner said. ``I will certainly carry the flag on this issue, but we need some other help out there.''

Gocke told Runner: ``It's an arbitrary decision to not fund something that was a moral commitment when there are funds available.''

Runner responded: ``Moral obligations of prior commitments have never been determining factors on following through on funding.''

Operating schools on a year-round schedule carries additional costs, as for hiring more teachers, using more utilities and doing more maintenance work.

School officials said the reduction in year-round operating funds took them by surprise. State government had been funding 70 percent of additional costs of operating schools year-round, but that dropped to 40 percent this year.