Our school district, like many others is facing significant budget problems in the coming year(s). A broadcasted email from our superintendent today has asked for suggestions from parents, teachers, and community members to help solve a projected $1.4 million shortfall for the upcoming (2010-11) school year. Depending on a number of factors, the total cuts might total more (maybe more than double, according to the Governor's proposed budget plan) or less than that amount, but for now, that's the target.I want to try to document some suggestions and ideas that I have heard, read, or thought about. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, and I'm not necessarily endorsing all these as 'good' ideas. It's just a list of possibilities, in no particular order. I welcome your comments and discussion, especially if you have a vested interest in this community and its schools.
- Four-day weeks
- Use a portion of the existing Fund Equity to fill in gaps
- Cut non-academic programs
- Serve cold lunches one (or more) days per week
- Close the Superintendent's office space
- Contract privately for food service, custodial service, etc.
- Centralize the purchase and preparation of food services (central kitchen concept)
- Ask for concessions from staff
- Eliminate (or reduce) busing routes
- Implement true pay-to-play situations for athletic (and other extracurricular) activities
- Explore ways to move to a 'paperless' system (esp. for older students)
- Reduce work day (from 8 hours to 7.5 hours; essentially a staff concession)
- Consolidate support services with another district (food service, custodial, maintenance, etc.)
- Solicit businesses and/or community groups to 'sponsor' a team by paying for their transportation, uniforms, fees, etc.
This is a great list of ideas
This is a great list of ideas! Thanks for spending time on this concept.
Two ideas I would like to address: 4 day weeks. A possibility and actually a good idea. However, the state will not let us have fewer school days (by law) than we had in the 09-10 school year. For us, that is 175 days. We could go to 4 day weeks, but we would be required to go more weeks then.
Close the Board of Education office: We thought of this idea 4 years ago and did a cost analysis of it. We own this space free and clear and do not pay rent. Our utility cost is very low. We got estimates on creating a space at either the middle or the high school and the cost of the renovation that would be needed in order to meet the requirements of the law (separate file rooms, fire-proof space) did not give us a pay back for many years. It's still an option that could be considered but would require initial costs rather than quick savings.
Keep the ideas coming!
Thanks, Dr. Mellgren, for the
Thanks, Dr. Mellgren, for the comments. I did read elsewhere that the 4-day week issue can't work (for now at least). It's good to know that issues like the superintendent's office have already been considered, and a little sad that 4 years later, we're still facing the same kinds of questions/decisions. Is there an online resource that is RAPS-specific that lists the ideas that have already been considered?