Schools in Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach and La Jolla are poised to receive less federal funding this year to support students whose families struggle financially. The San Diego Unified School Board of Education voted 3-2 on Jan. 27 to give less federal funding to some beach area schools and shift it to other schools. Pacific Beach Elementary stands to lose $31,752 in federal funds if the board upholds its vote. SDUSD board member Richard Barrera said it was an effort to give money to schools that have more students from poorer families. Barrera voted to shift the money, but said he rushed last week’s decision. “I made a mistake,” Barrera said, “I think I jumped into a decision without…community input. My feeling is that we need to back up a little.” The board will address the issue at their next board meeting Tuesday, Feb. 10, according to Barrera. Board members John de Beck and Katharine Nakamura voted against the motion to move the money, while board members Shelia Jackson, John Lee Evans and Barrera voted in favor. Nakamura said the board also eliminated the district’s “6 to 6” program. The program provides childcare for working families before and after school. “These are families that are right on the edge and we’re going to pull the carpet from under them?” Nakamura asked. The decision to eliminate federal funding for schools with students and families qualifying for assistance only makes the budget for these schools worse, she said. The cut in federal money to beach area schools comes as the unified school district works to close an estimated $30 million budget shortfall for this year. Schools like Pacific Beach Elementary could lose teachers in subjects like math and Spanish if money isn’t available to pay them, according to Dawna Deatrick, president of the Friends of Pacific Beach Elementary, the school’s Parent Teacher Organization. “Our teachers that are already spread thin will be spread even thinner,” Deatrick said. “The students just won’t get the same instruction they’re getting now.” University City High School used this year’s federal funds to hire extra instructors and tutors, said Principal Michael Price. “This was our first year [to receive federal dollars],” Price said, “If [the board’s decision] were to remain, we would lose the ability to use those dollars to pay for after school tutoring.” Solving the $30 million shortfall To address the $30 million budget deficit, the board imposed a hiring freeze with a few positions approved on a “case by case basis,” according to SDUSD spokesman Jack Brandais. Administrators must also approve all spending, he said. “We really want to keep a real tight lid on spending,” Brandais said. “If there are things that can be postponed, [administrators] will take a look a them,” The district’s budget crisis stems, in part, from the inability of California state legislators to resolve the state’s budget crisis, Brandais said. The state budget problem has the school district preparing for an estimated $20 million to $40 million current year budget cut with impacts on next year’s budget, he said. In January, board member John de Beck had called for a savings plan that would close the district for nine days for the next two years, and cut salaries for board members for two months. De Beck represents schools in Pacific Beach, Mission Bay, Ocean Beach, Point Loma, Bird Rock and La Jolla. De Beck estimated his plan could save the district $70 million over the next two years, and avoid layoffs. His proposal, however, fell on deaf ears, according to de Beck. De Beck said the district should address the budget by Sunday, March 15, when the school district becomes obligated to pay teachers’ salaries. By law, the district must notify teachers by March 15 if they will be laid off, he said. With about 80 percent of the school budget dedicated to teachers’ salaries, any savings from layoffs would be minimal. The SDUSD board next meets Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 5 p.m. at the Eugene Brucker Education Center, 4100 Normal St.