The IUSD Board of Education voted to adopt a budget for the 2013-14 school year on Tuesday night, and for the first time in years the forecast for Irvine and other districts looked relatively bright.

Dr. Gavin Huntley-Fenner, a member of the IUSD Board of Education since 2005 and this year’s president, has announced that he will step down from the school board, effective Nov. 21.

Following an emotional presentation marking the departure of two longtime trustees, the IUSD Board of Education on Tuesday engaged in a lively discussion over revenue enhancement opportunities.

Vehicle shade structures outfitted with energy-producing solar panels will be added to the parking lots of nine campuses, saving the district an additional $305,000 a year, following a vote this month by the IUSD Board of Education.

At its final meeting before the start of a new fiscal year, the IUSD Board of Education this week voted unanimously to adopt a spending plan for 2012-13.

Calling for a greater effort to notify neighboring communities, the IUSD Board of Education continued a proposal to add canopies topped with solar panels to the parking lots of 11 Irvine schools.

Student donations and fees were back in the spotlight at last week’s Board of Education meeting, as the district’s director of secondary education discussed the steps IUSD has taken to ensure compliance of California’s right to a free public education and outlined the impacts of seeking donations to preserve programs and activities.

With IUSD projecting a shortfall of about $5.3 million for the next fiscal year, the Board of Education voted this week to certify the district’s latest financial report as “qualified,” meaning adjustments will be necessary to present a balanced budget in June.

At its yearly organizational meeting on Tuesday night, the Board of Education voted unanimously to elect Michael Parham to a one-year term as president and Carolyn McInerney to a one-year term as clerk. Sue Kuwabara, who was president this past year, was honored for her leadership.

The IUSD school year will be reduced by four days this year as a result of the precipitous drop in state funding, and employee groups have agreed to take eight additional furlough days in 2010-11,