Sports

School Budget Forum Turns into a Deficit Reduction Workshop

Members of the community were asked for their ideas to fill the projected $3 million deficit.

About 40 people turned out for Thursday’s community forum at Liberty School and were promptly employed to brainstorm ways to eliminate the $3 million hole in the Saline Area Schools budget for 2011-12.

To start the forum, Superintendent Scot Graden explained the district's financial position. Last year, the district closed Houghton Elementary and sold Union School to meet budget. Only a few weeks ago, the district faced a $6 million deficit. After a reduction in the cuts to state funding, about $1.5 million in concessions from the teachers’ union, and other lower-than expected costs, the deficit is down to $3 million.

That's what the district is looking at now as it attempts to put together its budget by the end of June.

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Members of the audience broke up into six groups and began looking at the different options, provided by the district, for filling the $3 million hole.

Groups looked at increasing revenue by jacking up “pay-to-play” fees, expanding school of choice and allowing more advertising in schools. The big numbers were on the cost reduction side, which included eliminating transportation, privatizing services and reducing class offerings at each of the schools.

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During the exercise only one of the six groups managed to balance the budget. That group raised revenues by $250,000, made $1.65 million in spending cuts and dipped into the $2.9 million fund balance for $1.1 million, which would leave it below the board-mandated five percent of the budget.

Different groups came to different conclusions. Some groups decided against dipping into the general fund, saying it would leave the district vulnerable to financial catastrophe. One group suggested that all extra-curricular activities should be funded completely by user fees. Other suggestions included the elimination of mid-day busing. Others looked at the struggle to get to $3 million in savings and suggested that since 85 percent of the districts costs involve labor, the district should go back to the teachers for more.

Aaron Mukerjee is one of several Saline High School students who participated in the exercise. Mukerjee is the leader of a group called Students Re-investing in a Valuable Education.

“We think it’s important for students to have a voice in what’s happening. The decisions affect us. Already, two of the AP classes I was considering are tentatively being cut. And larger class sizes that are being considered impact students and teachers,” Mukerjee said.

Barbara Stokes came to the meeting because she heard the district has considered eliminating the marching band. Stokes had two children who played in the band and went on to perform with the marching band in college, and now she has a grandchild in the marching band.

“It’s so important to have a well-rounded education. I think the marching band meant friendship. It meant opportunity. It meant learning how to budget time. It meant leadership and community. Kids in music do better in school,” she said.

Stokes said she had good conversations about the school budget at Thursday’s forum and left convinced people saw the value in having a marching band program.

David Holden has been a regular at school board meetings over the last few months. He said he was uncomfortable with passing along cuts to parents, who’d then have to pay out of pocket in new user fees. While the board of education and teachers’ union agreed on $1.5 million in concessions, Holden said he thought it was incumbent on the district to approach the board for more.

The district sent out 68 layoff notices to teachers last week. Many will be called back once the district completes its staffing assignments. In all, the equivalent of 18-20 full-time positions may be cut.

The board is expected to have preliminary budget by the June 14 meeting. The budget for 2011-12 should be approved by June 28.

A copy of the worksheet used during the workshops is attached.


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