ESCANABA - The question of where to make cuts in a budget already hit by declining enrollment and a reduction in state aid was discussed Thursday by the Escanaba School District Finance Committee.
According to Michele Burley, superintendent for the Escanaba School District, the finance committee had requested the leadership team provide a list of budget cut considerations.
"The leadership team met for 14 hours over three days, and everything which could be touched was listed on chart paper," said Burley. "The chart was then prioritized ranging from bad to ugly."
She said each cut was then evaluated first on its impact on students, impact on achieving the goals of the strategic plan, impact on parents and the community, and feasibility.
Currently the district is looking at cutting the budget by $388,000. That move will address most of the money being lost when the state reduced its per pupil funding by $165 at the beginning of the current fiscal year.
"There were four areas the leadership team looked at, instructional support and resources, administration, extra-curricular, and facilities," said Burley.
To reach the necessary $388,000 cuts in the current budget, the finance committee may recommend to the full board reducing support personnel, in addition to instructional and technology supplies. That would save the district approximately $131,000 for the remainder of the school year.
In administration, the recommendation was placing a pay freeze for technology personnel; the superintendent would work for two days without pay in addition to accepting a pay freeze; and enter into negotiations with individual staff members regarding accepting a pay freeze.
In addition to pay freezes, a portion of the food service budget could be shifted to help pay utility costs for a total savings of roughly $127,217.
The district is also looking at a projected savings of $77,087 through non-payment of extra curricular activity salaries.
The areas impacted include high school and middle school band and orchestra concerts, transportation to any extra-curricular activity, and all extra-curricular activities.
"For extra-curricular activities, instructors would not receive additional pay for their time spent coaching or conducting any after-school activity," said Burley. "In this area we may have to look at pro-ration for those activities already scheduled."
In the area of facilities, the district would realize an approximate savings of $54,200 through the reduction of custodial hours, utility costs and cleaning supplies.
The finance committee accepted a recommendation to reduce the custodial staff from five to four, saving eight hours per day. Other ideas were eliminating vending machines, staff appliances, reducing district custodial supplies, and eliminating the heat from the former Washington Elementary School.
An additional $2,500 from the elimination of transportation costs for monthly in-service training meetings was also recommended.
Other considerations would be a reduction of school days for students by five days, and adding 16 to 18 minutes to the remaining school days to meet the state mandated 1,098 hours of instruction time for students.
"If the school district opts to reduce the calendar days for students, the estimated cost savings would be $435,590," said Burley.
The recommendations will be presented to the full school board Monday. If accepted, the reductions would go into effect immediately.
