Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Dire Warnings
by Cara DeGette
On Sept. 22, D-11 administrators delivered this list of student and employee programs that could be cut or eliminated if voters don't pass the $29 million in additional property-tax revenues for school operating costs. School board members were told that student programs and services could be impacted immediately and significantly, and could include the following:
Further increased class sizes
Schools could be closed and consolidated
Safety and security programs could be deferred
Busing could be reduced or eliminated
The school calendar could be revised
1999-2000 budget cuts and class size increases would continue
Additional central-office staffing reductions (no specifics offered)
Staffing at small schools could be changed
Elementary school principal, secretary, custodian reductions
Small middle-school administrative allocation reduced
Night-school location change, reduction of administrative positions, temporary or permanent night-school closures
Cuts or reductions to unmandated programs (i.e., instrumental music, gifted and talented, art, physical education, vocal music, yearbook, student government, athletics, adult education, etc.)
Wage freeze, wage increase below the inflation rate
Freeze or reduction of employee benefits (health insurance, dental, etc.)
Reduction of other benefits (tuition reimbursement, sick-leave pay-out, number of vacation days, etc.)
Reduced purchase and contract services
Reduction or elimination of substitutes and overtime budgets
Closing all unused schoolrooms
Reductions to special education
Reducing charter-school funding
Elimination of extra-duty days
Delayed Computer Instruction Technician hirings/combine CITs at small schools
Counselor staffing reductions
Deferred facility maintenance and repair
Reduction of post-secondary enrollment options or high-school staffing
Reduction of CIVA staffing or look at school-within-a-school (CIVA is a D-11 charter school, partly supported by the NEA)
Reduction of non-instrumental supply budgets at schools
Reallocation of capital-reserve funds to projects which reduce energy consumption and lower the utility bills
Reduction of grounds expenditures by xeriscaping grassed areas
The district also listed several options for increasing revenues, including:
Busing to day care for a fee
Raising tuition rates for full-day kindergarten
Raising rental rates for facilities
Retaining facility-rental revenues in the general fund
Raising pre-kindergarten and day-care rates
Instituting band-uniform and music-instrument fees.
Increasing parking fees for staff and students
Increasing athletic fees
