Sacramento students may be back on baseball diamonds and football fields this fall, thanks to an uptick in state revenues and Sacramento City Unified School District’s new fundraising partnership with the River Cats.

District trustees will consider reinstating sports and other extra-curricular activities at tonight’s Board of Education meeting. The Board meets at the Serna Center, 5735 47th Ave. The item is scheduled to be heard at 9 p.m.
Trustees made the painful decision earlier this year to eliminate sports, drama, yearbook, cheerleading, marching band and home-to-school bus transportation to balance a projected $22.35 million deficit for the next school year.

However, the recent rise in state coffers coupled with the launch of a fundraising effort in conjunction with the River Cats may mean a re-assessment of next year’s “worst-case scenario.” The partnership with the team was announced Wednesday at Raley Field.

“Although we won’t know our final funding level until the state Legislature passes a budget, we are optimistic that we will have enough money next year to pay for sports, extra-curriculars and bus transportation — programs that are so vital to our students,” said Superintendent Jonathan Raymond.
Some state budget analysts are predicting “flat funding” for schools, meaning that K-12 education will receive about as much next year as it did this year.

“We hope that the Legislature will put students first when deliberating over the budget,” Raymond said. “Schools have borne the brunt of cuts for too many years. It’s time for California to step up for kids.”