Still worried about future state funding reductions, Lake Orion School Board members approved on June 11 a 2003-04 budget that includes $3.8 million in cuts.
LO School District Superintendent Dr. Craig Younkman said state revenue ‘is not real secure? and more reductions are highly likely.?
‘Even if foundation funding stays the same we will probably still have to reduce, because the money’s not there for (additional) students walking through the doors in the fall,? he added.
Eighty three percent of the school district’s revenues comes from state sources.
Michigan’s state-aid 2002-03 budget has been estimated at $91 million short, but Governor Granholm said she will make no more funding reductions this year.
‘The issues at the state are uncertain and will be closely monitored,? Younkman said.
Hardest hits in reductions have come in the maintenance/operations department. Fourteen full-time employees are being eliminated.
These reductions are possible because classrooms will only be cleaned every other day. Bathrooms and kitchens will still be cleaned on a daily basis.
Summer help for custodians is being eliminated. Summer cleaning crews will rotate from school building to school building. When crews aren’t at a building, it will be shut down as much as possible to save on utility costs.
The board office’s custodial time has been reduced from 50 percent to 25 percent.
According to Younkman, administrative staff district-wide has been reduced by 12 percent. This was done by eliminating positions and consolidating functions.
Four administrators will be leaving as of June 30. None will be replaced. Another one is leaving at the end of next year.
Other positions that are eliminated include the career placement coordinator position (one half of the funding from a grant is gone), MLPP coordinator, vocational education director and an office assistant.
Five paraeducator positions are gone. The homebound/learning options teacher has been eliminated.
Class sizes at the high school will be slightly larger than previous years. Some small classes could be combined.
Three days in Carpenter Elementary School’s year-round schedule have been cut to save paying teachers and reducing transportation costs.
This fall, kindergarten students will attend five full days (M-W-M-W-F or Tu-Th-Tu-Th-F). This change saves on the mid-day Friday buses.
All budget lines not associated to salary and benefits will be reduced by 10 percent.
Thirty five (step 12 pay) teachers opted to take an early severance package. Replacements will be step 1 teachers whenever possible.
Revenues for this year’s budget are $59,984,452. Expenditures total $60,143,444. Ending fund balance is $6,479,111.
The new budget is based on the state giving the school district $7,559 for each of its students.
According to LO Financial Director Jillynn Keppler, those who are receiving 3 percent raises have agreed to donate that portion back to the school district.
School officials recently settled new one year contracts with all unions represented in the school district. According to LO Superintendent Chris Lehman, raises in salaries averaged about 2.3 percent. The teacher’s union gave up some health benefits
Keppler said the 2003-04 budget doesn’t include buying any buses or computers. Those purchases are still being taken care of with a bond issue.
A contingency fund that totaled $150,000 in the 2002-03 budget in gone in this year’s budget.
Because of the projected increase of 100 students next fall, two and one half extra teachers will be hired.
Keppler said student growth is slowing. Just a few years she was estimating over 300 new students when she began working on budget proposals.