THE Public School System submitted a $31.5 million budget request but Gov. Arnold I. Palacios proposed only $28.6 million for fiscal year 2024, which is 25% of the $115.4 million in projected revenue available for government appropriation.
During a budget hearing on Thursday, Education Commissioner Alfred B. Ada told the House Ways and Means Committee that the governor’s budget proposal would force PSS “to make cuts on our personnel.”
Ada also noted that PSS is entitled to 25% of the “general revenue resources” as mandated by the CNMI Constitution. The projected gross budgetary resources for FY 2024 is $172.5 million before deducting debt service obligations, earmarked funds and the annual payments to the Settlement Fund.
When asked by the committee chair, Rep. Ralph N. Yumul, if PSS can tap American Rescue Plan Act funds to “backfill” the shortage of local funds, Ada said PSS’s ARPA funds have already been allotted, and in order to make changes to these allotments, PSS has to communicate to its federal grant officers “who are very…strict to [allow] any changes.”
He said PSS would have to reduce its personnel, “for the most part,” to address the budget shortfall in FY 2024, Ada told Yumul.
PSS Human Resource Director Lucretia Deleon Guerrero, for her part, reiterated their request for additional full-time employees.
She said they have also met with all the school principals who provided them a “priority list” of teachers, “in the event we do not get the funds needed.”
Delon Guerrero said PSS’ Human Resources Office has a plan to address a looming budget shortfall. She said this plan includes “whether to not fill a position at all.”
‘Data-driven’ budget request
In his opening statement, Ada told the committee that PSS serves a population of over 9,000 students across three islands with 20 schools, nine Head Start centers, and 911 full-time employees.
He said PSS is requesting an “operating budget that will fund [its] required educational services supplemented significantly by last year’s funding from ARPA, and regular funding received from federal grants.”
He said their FY 2024 budget request represents a 9% increase over their revised FY 2023 budget of $28 million.
“We take note that every year, PSS is entitled to 25% of general revenue resources under the CNMI Constitution,” he said.
He said their FY 2024 budget request is “built on data-driven analysis developed during the PSS budget development process in which the PSS team reviews staffing pattern allocations, enrollment projection, school allocations, student service and program assessments.”
Ada said trends “in the educational system are also examined as well as the CNMI’s current economic condition and the essential services necessary to support our school system.”
He said to fulfill PSS’ responsibilities, the support of all stakeholders is essential. “We will continue to coordinate and collaborate with our stakeholders to ensure that we provide the necessary curriculum and instructional programs and improved public-health measures at our schools and facilities,” he added.
