Some more numbers to flesh out my story on getting flexible with school funding: While San Diego Unified budgeted more than $240 million this school year in earmarked state moneys that are set aside for specific purposes, some of that money has already been spent or set aside for salaries.
Because the school district is grappling with midyear cuts — that means slashing money from the current school year — they are trying to preserve money that is currently being spent. That is tricky stuff. Just imagine trying to pack up your leftovers to save while your family was still eating dinner.
So the actual pool of earmarked money that could be freed to San Diego Unified leaders to help plug an estimated $40 million to $50 million midyear deficit would be roughly $171 million, according to figures supplied to the school board this evening. Those figures were calculated as of late November.