Response from Clarkston teachers to $13 million in proposed cuts has been one of disbelief, according to union reps.
“We aren’t sure how we can continue to do what we are doing with aides cut and larger class sizes,” said Brooke Davis, president of Clarkston Education Association. “We are hoping it doesn’t have to come to that.”
The association asks the board to hold off on the 160 proposed cuts until this year’s audit specifies how much money they have versus what they expected, he said.
“A lot of people are saying we should open our contract up ? we are not against that, but we are against doing something like that until we have exhausted all other possibilities,” Davis said.
The $13 million in cuts over the next two years, out of a budget of about $88.2 million each year, include $6.4 million budget deficit; $2.2 million in raises and step increases for all employees for next year; $1.1 million in projected retirement and benefit increases next year, state mandated; loss of special education funding, $800,000 next year, $1.7 million the year after, $2.5 million total; and per-pupil cut of $165 this year, $268 expected next year.
With a student count of 8,171 students this year, the total $433 per-pupil cut equals about $3.5 million total. The district had 8,159 in 2009 school year and 8,199 students in 2008. Administrators do not expect much change in the count next year.
The cuts are about twice as much as projected in the district’s budget forecast, prepared in 2007, due to a goal of eliminating the deficit, cuts in state per-pupil funding and special-education funding, and added new programs such as all-day kindergarten, Fast ForWord, International Baccalaureate, and trimester scheduling, according to administration.
“Tier Two” cuts, a list of 36 items cutting about $6 million added at the school board’s request, includes switching grades 8-12 trimesters back to semesters, saving $300,000-360,000. The district switch to trimesters less than two years ago, mostly in response to new state graduation requirements.
“The savings is in the number of teachers we need to run trimesters versus six-period days,” said Anita Banach, director of marketing and communications. “Teachers have more active student time under the six-period day with less planning time. Students have more options under the trimester schedule, which equates to more teachers teaching each hour.”
The list also include returning to half-day-only kindergarten, after less than a year of the all-day program, cutting $300,000- $400,000.
Other recent spending decisions facing roll back include International Baccalaureate, with $27,000 in cuts, and superintendent raises of $6,000 a year for three years plus benefits ? “tier two” cuts include administrative concessions of $75,000-$120,000.
The Fast ForWord computer program, adopted this year for $375,000, is not included in the list. Tier One cuts include reducing additional software purchases, though, cutting $338,827.
The district should consider closing the $6.4 million deficit out of its remaining fund equity, instead of cuts, Patterson said.
“We have never come to grip what the fund equity is used for ? is it to cover our expenses so we aren’t borrowing from the state, cover cash flow, cover a rainy day,” Patterson asked.
The district has almost $13 million in its fund balance. Current budget includes spending about half of it.
“In my opinion, we need to understand what we need to do in today’s economy to operate,” she said. “It means a lot of dialogue. It means if we are going to get cut mid-year, how are we going to handle it?”
The budget-cut plan targets about 50 teachers for layoff, out of about 490, in addition to about 70 aides, secretaries, custodians, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, administrators and other support staff.
“We are talking about cuts that could change the structures of our schools and that is not easy to put back in place,” Patterson said. “I think we have to be very careful when we make the decision.”
Patterson and Trustee Rosalie Lieblang have had difficulty obtaining information regarding the cuts ? Lieblang filed a Freedom of Information Act request when administration balked at providing budget impact statements, Feb. 1 The information is also requested by The Clarkston News.
“I want data and discussion on what the impact on our students will be,” Patterson said. “I don’t want to blame anybody. I want to look at how we are operating and I want the board and the community to be a part of that.”
The board needs as much information as possible when judging the cuts, she said.
“I have been appreciative of people stopping and talking to me about their viewpoints. I think it is important,” she said. “This isn’t easy ? we know there is this uncertainty. We have to manage our money differently.”
Budget-cut team members will continue to work on details for each of the 126 proposed cuts, including which schools could be closed or combined into sister schools, Banach said.
“We have several work sessions in place to finalize these reduction considerations so that more information can be provided to the board on Feb. 22,” she said.