In order to cut 11.4 teaching positions from Clarkston Community Schools in the fall, 40 teachers across the district are set to receive lay-off notice.
‘It’s never easy to make decisions negatively impacting people you know and respect,? said Superintendent Dr. Al Roberts at the April 28 school board meeting. ‘But we must position the district for the future. We must focus on achievement of students.?
Each school submitted names for the layoff list across all subjects based on seniority and date last hired. Student enrollment and state funding will determine who among the 40 will be included in the 11.4 positions targeted for budget reduction.
‘The list is inexact ? that’s why more are listed than will eventually be laid off,? Roberts said.
State law requires schools to give lay-off notice by the end of April.
The school board approved more than $2 million in budget reductions Monday, of which teacher layoffs account for $570,000.
The final set of budget reductions is about $760,000 more than what Roberts presented to the board April 14.
However, the school board also eliminated about $326,000 in additional revenue from the list, at the request of Board Treasurer Ronald Sullivan.
The original list included $40 more in per-pupil state funding over the board’s specified $100 increase.
‘Based on current parameters, we’re only looking at a $100 addition from the state,? Sullivan said. ‘We can hope for $40 more, but right now, parameters don’t reflect that.?
Sullivan’s motion to approve the updated budget reduction list, and eliminate the $40 per-pupil state funding increase, was approved 6-1.
Board Secretary Joan Patterson voted against the motion.
‘My concern is, last year, we made cuts and the state came through with the money ? I don’t want disruption of services,? Patterson said. ‘I’m uncomfortable cutting that deeply.?
The approved budget reduction list includes: $140,000 each in one-time transfers from food-service and Early Childhood Center budget; $200,000 more from Academic Development department, for a total of $400,000; and $200,000 from future purchases of new textbooks, for a total of $375,000.
The cuts eliminate the Academic Development department, Roberts said.
‘It can’t work without a full complement of folks,? he said. ‘I’d rather do it differently.?
Its duties, including collection and review of student-performance data, will be reassigned to other departments, he said.
Also, the district will save $80,000 in electricity by going to the ‘interruptible electricity rate.? DTE Energy offers a discounted rate in return for permission to interrupt service in brownout conditions.
The approved list also includes reductions of $150,000 from special education; $81,460 in per-pupil funding to principals, for use for supplies; $45,000 for conferences; and
$25,000 in capital outlay support costs, which are building and site projects to be determined later.
The plan includes revenue increases: transfer of six students back to the school district, $45,516; and $30,184 for four students in the district child care program.
With the budget adjustments, Clarkston Community Schools is expected to spend about $78.4 million next school year, and take in about $76 million. The district carries a fund balance of about 11.3 million, which will be used to cover the difference.
Budget parameters set by the school board are:
? Reduce spending by $1.96 million
? 18 mills for non-homestead tax
? 8,146 students
? $100 more per student in state funding
? 1.5 percent raise for teachers and support staff, plus 3 percent step increment
? Five percent increase in health care cost
? 16.54 percent retirement rate
? 10 percent fund equity.