Community Corner

Board of Education Targets Cuts in 2013-14 Budget

If the budget fails at the April 30 referendum, cuts could be drastic, Stonington superintendent warns.

The Board of Education on Thursday identified $150,000 in reductions to the proposed 2013-14 budget to meet the mandated bottom line from the Board of Finance.

The finance board had approved a $33,733,623 budget for education for 2013-14 Monday night. That meant a $150,000 in expenditures the school board had proposed.

Superintendent Van Riley identified six areas for cuts. He did not attach dollar figures to any but one:

  • Buy things in advance: the school department will use money it has currently to buy items included in next year's budget.
  • Renegotiate the First Student transportation contract: The renegotiation with the bus company could result in a $10,000 savings.
  • Additional retirements and resignations since the budget was finalized.
  • Reorganize department within the central office.
  • Staff attrition. Positions that become vacant will be assessed and possibly eliminated.
  • Reducing the need for overtime and substitutes.
"One hundred and fifty thousand dollars is a lot of money but these won't affect any individual," Riley said. "There are no layoffs or detailed reductions as the board has had to deal with in the past."

But there was a big "but" at the end of that sentence, as Riley went on to outline — at the request of the board — areas that would be targeted for cuts if the budget fails at the April 30 referendum, and the finance board has to revisit the bottom line.

In that worst-case scenario, Riley identified 11 areas:
  • Class sizes may be increased.
  • Reduce support staff including reading, art, physical education, music, nurses, special education and more.
  • Reduce non-teaching staff including custodial, secretarial, maintenance and paraprofessional.
  • Eliminate PSAT/SAT/AP testing fees. This was new to the 2013-14 budget to encourage more students to apply to college.
  • Reduce technology programs.
  • Reduce maintenance and operations budgets.
  • Reduce the curriculum budget.
  • Reduce funding to implement new state evaluation program. This is new to the 2013-14 budget also, and is a state mandate.
  • Reduce transportation.
  • Reduce or eliminate extra-curricular programs.
  • Reduce per-school budgets for materials, office supplies, and other school needs.
"We want this kind of list to let people know when they go to the poolls what we are looking at," said board chairman Gail MacDonald, "so they have a clear idea of what the budget would include or not include."

MacDonald urged board members and those in the audience to speak in support of the budget everywhere they go.

"Let's not have this go down by 30 votes again," she said.


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