The La Jolla Cluster Association’s response to a 2.5 percent budget cut, effective in February, has retrieved $40,000 in funds, or approximately 29 percent of what was initially taken, from the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) for redistribution to local schools. Though the $138,000 that was initially taken was not returned in its entirety, the La Jolla Cluster outlined a request for what it deemed the funds most crucial to preserving programs through the end of the school year. The list was presented to Philip Stover, SDUSD interim chief special projects officer, on April 6. Stover said that 100 percent of the requested funds were returned. “We returned the funds over a period of several weeks by transferring the funds out of a holding account back into the school account,” Stover said. “La Jolla Cluster certainly took a lead in bringing the challenges to our attention. They did a good job.” The requested returns included $14,783 to Bird Rock Elementary, $14,973 to La Jolla Elementary, $4,800 to Torrey Pines Elementary and $5,000 to Muirlands Middle School for causes that ranged from remedial programs and intervention support to web-based computer programs designed to assist struggling students. Principal Dana Shelburne of La Jolla High School said the funds he requested had already been returned, which Stover confirmed. Sharon Jones, a board member of the La Jolla Cluster, said that though these numbers represent only a fraction of what was taken in February, the district did receive the money it most needed. “Phil Stover said that he couldn’t get all of the money back but that he would try to get some of it back,” Jones said. “And he did.” La Jolla will not be the only area to receive reimbursements for its schools from the district. “When all is said and done, I think we will restore around $250,000 or $300,000 in total,” Stover said. “I can’t guess as to how many schools will get restored funds.”