The College and Career Center may face cuts if the Palo Alto Partners in Education cannot raise the $600,000 needed to meet its 2008-2009 fundraising goal of $2.52 million, according to PAPiE board members.

The 2008-2009 campaign, which ends on Feb. 12, has already been incorporated into school budgets, according to PAPiE Director of Development Mandy Lowell. This means that schools have already included expected donations from this year’s campaign in their budgets, and any donation shortages will result in program cuts, Lowell said.

“The schools have built into their budgets the PiE allocation,” Lowell said. “They have expected a certain amount. Because of the dramatic downturn in the economy, the services go down if money doesn’t come in.”

Donations are divided between a per-student lump sum and a grant program, Lowell said. According to its Web site, PAPiE grants funded the creation of the glass blowing program and the biotechnology class. According to Diana Walsh, Director of Marketing and Communications, the per-student sum funds, which are allocated by the principal and Site Council, fund the College and Career Center and departmental needs.

Walsh and Lowell agree that the College and Career Center at Paly could face cuts.

“Were the community not to rally and provide necessary funds, a large portion would not go to college and counseling and there would be a large reduction of personnel,” Lowell said, referring to the College and Career Center.

Lowell also indicated that a gap in funding would hurt the grant process and would make it more difficult for teachers to start innovative projects. According to science teacher Ronald Pruzan, the instructor for Paly’s biotechnology class, the lab-based course relies on PAPiE funding for supplies.

“They’ve given us a number of grants to purchase equipment,” Pruzan said. “I think this semester they are paying a person who helps with labs — a lab assistant. Mostly they just pay for the equipment and supplies.”

Walsh indicated that the lack of funding would be felt at all schools, including elementary schools.

“PiE funds particular programs at each level: for the elementary schools, class aid; for the middle schools, technology and enrichment programs,” Walsh said.

According to its Web site, PAPiE also helps fund the Young 5s program, which helps unprepared kindergarten-age children transition into elementary school.

PAPiE was created in 2004 when the Palo Alto Foundation for Education merged with the All Schools Fund. More information on its history can be found on its Web site. Though PAPiE was short of donations at this point in the campaign last year, Walsh indicated that PAPiE might have more difficulty raising money this year.

“I think last year we [PAPiE] were short at about this time, so we are hopeful that people will respond at the end of the campaign,” Walsh said. “We’ve never actually been short at the end of the campaign before. We are a little concerned this year because the donations came in a lot faster last year around this time; that’s why we’re trying to gear things up right now.”

Lowell hopes that the community will make the necessary donations by Feb. 12.

“I am cautiously optimistic that the community members will bring it in,” Lowell said. “Community members who don’t have students in the district have donated. Just having a student in Palo Alto schools is a reason to donate.”

Additionally, PAPiE will continue to run publicity campaigns and make phone calls to parents who have not yet donated to bring in more money, according to Walsh.

“We’re running publicity campaigns at all the campuses, and the Superintendent Kevin Skelly is sending e-mails to the parents,” Walsh said. “He will also be making automated phone calls home to all parents who haven’t donated yet.”

According to Walsh, the principal of each school is also requesting donations, and a team is set up on each campus to contact all families that still need to donate.

Lowell believes PAPiE plays a critical role in PAUSD education.

“It improves the lives of students,” Lowell said. “The personal touch is so key to education. Less funding means less personal interaction in students’ lives in the form of an adult on campus.”

Donations can be made online through PAPiE’s Web site, or by mail using a form also available on the Web Site. Information on company matching and corporate donations are also available on the site.