FRANKLIN DECATHLON TEAM CHIMES IN ON LAUSD BUDGET CUTS: The Los Angeles Unified School District voted to eliminate funding to Academic Decathlon teams throughout the district.

By Andrea C. Quezada, Highland Park-Mount Washington Patch | http://bit.ly/GMXC3p

 March 23, 2012  ::  Franklin High School’s Academic Decathlon team has thrived in recent years, but the future of its program could be hanging in the balance as a result of LAUSD budget cuts.

LAUSD voted to eliminate the $400,000 it distributes among Academic Decathlon teams throughout the district from its 2013-14 budgets. However, Academic Decathlon and many other programs can be saved if L.A. voters approve a $298 parcel tax in the fall, and furlough and salary agreements are reached between labor unions.

“It’s important that we prevent those budget cuts because academic decathlon brings out the best in every individual that competes in it. It’s such a rewarding experience and to have that cut would be such a tragedy,” decathlon team member Susan Arevalo said.

Franklin’s program could end up taking a loss of $8,000 it receives from LAUSD to help offset total operating costs of approximately $15,000.

FHS Academic Decathlon coach Sam Kullens said study supplies and just the bare necessities for a highly competitive team cost $1,000 out of the box. While supplementary materials range between $4,000-$5,000.

If Franklin qualifies for the state championship again next year as it has the past three years, traveling expenses for a trip to Sacramento for a few days can cost thousands of dollars, Kullens said.

“I don’t know much about it, but I do know that if LAUSD is planning on cutting out all of its money, that would just destroy the competition,” junior Alex Moreno said.

According to Kullens, Moreno was the highest scoring C-student in California. And of the top nine competing students, he was the only junior. Moreno also has the fourth highest score for a C-student in the history of the academic decathlon, which spans between 30-40 years.

“I would be devastated if that happened because of how influential Academic Decathlon has been in my life. Academic Decathlon is an opportunity for students to prove that they can do something and they are great,” Moreno added.

Kullens said $400,000 in the grand scheme of things with how much LAUSD spends is a drop in the hat.

“Right now there are so many negatives going on within the district and there’s not necessarily positive vibes surrounding LAUSD all the time,” Kullens said. “It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to toss out one of the programs that really is a shining star.”