Posted: 10/8/03

Budget cuts would hit 25 teachers

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Class size would increase and kindergarten students would return to an all-day every other day format in 2004 if an excess operating levy request fails at the ballot box on Nov. 4.

The two realities of a budget problem were highlighted for the school board on Monday and the board voted 7-0 to approve a recommendation from Superintendent Lynn Steenblock to identify potential budget cuts of $2 million.

The list includes the elimination of 15 classroom teachers at the elementary level and 10 classroom teachers and two behavior intervention specialists at the secondary level.

The potential cuts for the 2004-2005 school year have been identified as the district awaits the outcome of an excess operating levy request to voters on Nov. 4. During the election, the board is asking for voter-approval of a five-year, $2 million levy to maintain current staff and programs and head off the next round of budget cuts.

ìI think you need to get it out and say this is what is going to happen,î Steenblock said Monday as he walked the board through the lengthy list of potential cuts.

The request for additional local dollars comes in the wake of legislative action that provided no new funding to the district. The $2 million levy would cover inflationary costs and enable the district to maintain its current programs and staff, Steenblock said.

Although the legislature provided no new dollars in form of state aid, the state is now shouldering more of the cost of local property tax levies. State equalization aid will reduce the amount of local taxes paid on excess levies now on the books and those that are pending in November.

In his report Monday, Steenblock emphasized that the budget-cutting steps were not scare tactics but a realistic look at the steps that will be needed for the 2004-2005 school year.

ìThis is not fun for anyone,î Steenblock said.

Impact of steps

The loss of 25 teaching positions would most certainly negatively impact class size, Steenblock said. Such a result would reverse a district goal of working to keep class sizes low.

The change in kindergarten format is proposed to save transportation costs. The current half-day, every day format requires double busing for the two daily shifts.

The district estimates the savings at $260,000. By running just one daily kindergarten bus route, the district will recoup the money in form of salaries and fuel costs.

Preserving the current format and spending the $260,000 would mean another seven elementary teachers would have to be cut, Steenblock told the board.

The board opted for the all-day every other day kindergarten format two years ago as a cost-saving measure but abandoned the plan in 2002 because the format was generally not liked. The passage of the excess levy in 2001 provided funds to restore the half-day kindergarten program.

The potential cuts for the fall of 2004 would mark the second year of budget adjustments. For the current school year, the district sliced $805,000 from its budget to keep spending in line with revenue.

The cuts were targeted to capital projects and needs such as school bus purchases and parking lot maintenance projects. A second round of cuts wonít have the luxury of avoiding staff and programs, Steenblock said.

ìThe days of cutting fluff are over,î Steenblock said.

What will be cut

Under its budget reduction planning model, the administration collected public and staff input to help determine where the cuts would come.

The items listed below are on the list approved by the school board this week.

Elementary Education ó $600,000.

ïCut 15 classroom teachers.

ïReduce instructional supplies, administrative support and training.

Secondary Education ó $600,000.

ïCut 10 classroom teachers.

ïCut two behavior intervention specialists.

ïCut 1.25 administrative assistants.

ïCut 1.5 media/audio visual paraprofessionals.

ïCut .75 custodian.

ïReduce administrative support.

ïReduce instructional supplies

ïSignificantly increase high school student parking fees ($65 to $125).

Athletics/co-curricular activities ó $150,000.

ïCut cheerleading program.

ïCut HERO Club advisor.

ïCut International Club advisor.

ï Cut DECA/BPA advisor.

ïCut Electronics Club advisor.

ïCut Science Olympiad Advisor.

ïCut junior high weight training program.

ïCut one Grade 9 football assistant coach.

ïCut two Grade 9 volleyball assistant coaches.

ïCut Mock Trial advisor.

ïCut two Grade 9 boys basketball assistants.

ïCut two Grade 9 girls basketball assistants.

ïCut two Grade 9 girls softball assistants.

ïCut one Grade 9 baseball head coach.

ïCut two Grade 9 baseball assistants.

ïReduce trainer contract.

ïCut three musical production assistants.

ïCut two play production assistants.

ïCut two One Act Play assistants.

ïCut Odyssey of the Mind.

ïCut Knowledge Bowl.

ïCut four adaptive athletic assistants.

ïCut three high school weight training assistants.

ïCut two high school track assistants.

ïCut one high school football assistant coach.

ïReduce athletic supplies, officials and transportation.

ïCut one Alpine ski assistant (.5 girls and .5 boys).

ïCut one high school speech assistant.

ïCut one high school debate assistant.

ïCut one high school drumline assistant.

ïCut high school performing arts appreciation.

District Support ó $100,000.

ïReduce technology repair.

ïReduce textbook purchases.

ïReduce curriculum writing.

ïReduce instructional supplies.

ïReduce administrative support.

Transportation ó $550,000.

ïBegin all-day every other day kindergarten.

ïCut bus purchases.

Top of Page