Budget season set to begin

I'm going to try something new here; posting my "School News" column each week after it is published. Here is this week's column "Budget season set to begin:"

As we have reported often in recent months, the district must cut well in excess of $1 million from next year’s budget to bring expenditures in line with state funding, which has remained flat for years while the cost of running a district increased. By early February we should know the exact size of the projected deficit.

The needed cuts are the next chapter in a book documenting $13 million in cuts since 2003. Unfortunately, the district has exhausted every means necessary to reduce these deficits with as minimal impact on education as possible. Over the last few years we have:

Reduced middle school activities seasons
Contracted with SCRED for special education services
Shared employees, and wages, with other entities
Reduced energy usage by over $200,000
Moved to a four-day week
Closed and demolished the Main Street School
Clamped down on supply budgets at every level
Cut administration by 25 percent

These are a few examples of ways the district has reduced spending over the long-term in order to mitigate annual deficits.

As we explained leading up to the fall election, the district no longer has areas to find these savings. There are no more buildings to close, no more schedule solutions. We cannot afford to lose more leadership, it is cut to the bone. As it stands, we have two assistant principals for 3,500 students.

In the fall levy questions, we warned that activities, electives, and teachers would have to be cut. Activities and electives will have to make way to protect basic subjects. Teachers account for roughly half of the budget and there is no way to cut large amounts without affecting their numbers. And unfortunately, inflation means that funding received pays for less every year.

Class sizes will rise, opportunities will disappear, and more people will lose their jobs, making an already challenged local economy that much more so. If you have savings ideas that might help avoid program and staff cuts, please call me. My phone number is (651) 674-1012.

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