Site Council Members Hear Budget Concerns
USD #343 Site Council members from each district school came together on Wednesday, January 20 to hear district administrators discuss current and future funding concerns. A total of sixteen site council members in attendance heard from the superintendent and building principals regarding the potential impact of anticipated reductions in state funding.
Superintendent Denis Yoder reported that USD #343 has already had cuts in state funding of over $700,000 in the past year. The district is now planning for cuts next year of $500,000 and potentially twice that amount for the following year, if no new revenue sources are found at the state level.
Building principals shared with site council members the potential impact of continued reductions in funding. Common themes to reduce expenditures discussed at all levels included the following:
- Reductions in teachers resulting in greater class sizes and fewer course offerings.
- Reductions in paraprofessionals resulting in less student learning support.
- Reductions in administration resulting in less teacher and student support.
- Reductions in staff development resulting in less training for teachers.
- 20% reductions in building budgets bringing cuts to 50% of 2008-2009 budgets resulting in fewer library books purchased, classroom supply purchases reduced, school programs reduced and etc.
- High school & middle school sports possibly reduced to one varsity team for boys and girls at each level with no sub-varsity competition. Savings would be realized through the reduction of assistant coaches and reduced travel costs.
Several revenue generating options were proposed by administration including the following:
- Increase lunch/breakfast fees
- Increase enrollment and class fees
- Increase pay-to-participate fees @ PLHS
- Add pay-to-participate fees @ PLMS
- Add non-school group facility usage fee
- Add after-school activity bus fee
Site council member were urged to contact their legislators and voice their support of appropriate funding of K-12 education.
To assist in contacting your legislators, a link to the Jefferson and Douglas County state senators and representatives is provided below.
USD #343 State Senate and House of Representative Members
An listing of questions to ask your legislator is available through the below link.
