First Peek at the 2011-12 BUDGET

The school board had a "work-study) session this past Wednesday to present the first glimpse at the total budget picture.  Amazingly, things look better than initial projections.  Of course...this could change.


HOW MUCH CAN THE DISTRICT SPEND in 2011-12?
  2010-11 Expense Budget: $73,000,000
  Planned 2011-12 Expense Budget:  $77,000,000
- Governor's projected 5.5% cut
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= Revised 2011-12 Expense Budget: $72,900,000
= $4,100,000 reduction in spending

HOW DID THEY COME UP WITH the $4.1M REDUCTION?
Savings from employee paid 5.8% WRS:       $2,671,450
Savings from employee paid 9% Health Ins.: $  750,000
Savings from conversion of 1 FTE to SPEA:     $   34,000
Savings from replacement of 29 retirees:       $1,000,000
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Total Cost savings (reductions)                    $4,455,450

That first number seems pretty exact, while the latter two seem pretty, rounded, don't they?  OurDough pants fuel?

BUDGET ADDITIONS FOR 2011-12
Add 1.0 FTE Minority Recruitment HR Specialist:       $ 75,000
Restore building/dept. budgets to 2008-09 level:  + $255,000
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Net additions                                                      $330,000

NET BUDGET PICTURE
   Reduction to budget:    $4,100,000
- Budget Savings:            $4,455,450
+ Budget additions:         $   330,000 
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Net Budget impact           $    25,450

WHAT is the ESTIMATED IMPACT ON PROPERTY TAXES?
Levy Increase:  4.5%
Mill Rate Increase:  4.5%
Estimated tax increase ($200K home) $109.50 

NOTE 1: there is a projected surplus of at least $450K for this school year, if the school board should vote to apply that against the 2011-12 budget, the levy/mill rate increase would drop to 3.5% ($86.00 on a $200K home)
NOTE 2: This is a district-wide projection.  No estimates of impact to individual municipalities can be made at this time.


BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS

• 2.3% growth (+162 students).
• 0% property value growth.
• Maintains existing programs and class size guidelines
• Maintains SAGE at CHB and WS
• Adds 14.7 new staff positions (increase in students + HR position) 
• Retains 7.0 additional FTE formerly funded by Federal Stimulus $
• Layoffs only for  course selection changes and cuts to state/federal funding, (e.g. Title 1 and ATODA).
• District allowed to apply unspent revenue cap dollars from previous years.

DISTRICT WISH LIST (Not included--YET--, but being proposed)
Add 1 FTE staff to tech dept. (data programmer) $  65,000 
Add 2.0 FTE Increase E.S.L. teachers, part A   $110,000 
Add 3.2 FTE for Equitable Social Workers Services   $176,000 
Add 3.0 FTE K-5 RtI Interventionist $165,000 
Math software for Everyday Math        $  10,920 
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TOTAL Wish List:     $526,920 

Note: adding everything here would raise the tax levy/mill rate 1.2%, which would amount to about $28.50 (on a $200K home),  Every 1% increase in the mill rate translates to about $0.122 on the mill rate ( or an additional $24.50 on a $200K home) 


BUDGET CUTS CONSIDERED BUT REJECTED and Never Discussed Publicly

• (-3.5 FTE) Do not replace 3.5 LMC positions (3-4 by attrition).  Elementary have 0.5 LMC specialist PLUS add 0.5 support staff in the library (up from current 0.5)
• (-3.5 FTE) Eliminate K-4 Health Instruction (not mandated) - (2 by attrition; 1.5 layoff)
• (-3.5 FTE) Raise class size guidelines for grades 6-12 by 0.5 students per class (-1.5 HS, -1 CHUMS, -0.5 at PV and PM:  3.5 total)
• 1 Teacher mentor
• Raise Fees
• Reduce Extracurricular (Eliminate interscholastics before 7th and 8th?)
• Reduce Support Staff