What's Inside District 197 Budget Options? Here's a First Look

Cuts to transportation, increases in some class sizes, and multi-grade learning teams are just a few of the ideas proposed March 7 by District 197 administration to tackle a goal of cutting $2.4 million from the 2011-2012 general fund budget.

Three budget proposals of varying approach also accompany a plan to consolidate space in the district by moving or into Friendly Hills Middle School.

Finance Director Carl Colmark described the changes in the first budget option as “adjustments” rather than “savings.”

School board member Dewayne Dill commented that Budget Option 2 could then be viewed as the inevitable path after Budget Option 1 choices have been exhausted.

Budget Option 3 is being packaged as a way to provide more individualized and project-based learning in many classrooms while reducing staff across the board. 

The co-location option of Mendota Elementary is labeled as Option 4 but would utlimately be pursued in addition to one of the first three packages to get the closest to $2.4 million.

To view the full presentation, check out the attachment to this article or visit the school district's Web site. The presentatio includes a movie about how the Budget Option 3 could look at Moreland Elementary. 

Key points of District 197 budget scenarios:

*FTE stands for “full-time equivalent”

Budget Option 1

Cuts $1,742,950

Staffing

Increase class sizes by one pupil, thus reducing seven FTE positions

Savings: $462,750

Reduction of 3.5 FTE Basic Skills instructors

Savings: $215,950

Eliminate elementary school counselors, a move that could only move forward if a state mandate is lifted.

Savings: $350,000

Eliminate “Hot Spot” reserves used to provide 2.5 FTEs later in the year when class size pressures have been identified.

Savings: $154,250

Sharing a building administrator between two schools, eliminating one FTE admin

Savings: $150,000

Program

Move middle school co-curricular activities out of the general fund

Savings: $85,000 from general fund

Increase transportation walking distances and fee structure

Savings: $100,000

Reduce pay for substitute teachers

Savings: $25,000

Hard freeze on compensation for district cabinet, directors/supervisors and other non-collective bargaining employee groups

Savings: $50,000

Revenue capture through third-party billing

Savings: $50,000

Charge other appropriate expenses into Compensatory Education fund

Savings: $100,000

Budget Option 2

Cuts $1,774,950

Staffing

Increase class sizes by three, eliminating 21 FTE positions

Savings: $1,295,700

Plus these options from Budget Option 1:

Increase transportation walking distances and fee structure

Savings: $100,000

Reduce pay for substitute teachers

Savings: $25,000

Hard freeze on compensation for district cabinet, directors/supervisors and other non-collective bargaining employee groups

$50,000

Revenue capture through third-party billing

$50,000

Charge other appropriate expenses into Compensatory Education fund

Savings: $100,000

Budget Option 3

Savings: $1,815,271

Henry Sibley High School

Increase class sizes from 33 to 35 and cut nine FTEs

Transition to six-period day with a zero-hour option starting at 7:30 a.m. (no transportation, but options will also be available during school day)

Incorporate online learning classes

No change in graduation credits

Heritage Middle School

Four “houses” composed of two fifth/sixth grade teams and two seventh/eighth grade teams

Five team teachers per 200 students, plus a rotating “creative arts block” teacher in the lower school, and one math and one language arts teacher to share between the upper houses.

Five class period days for lower school, six shorter class period days for upper school

Personalized learning plan and portfolio class time

Friendly Hills Middle School

Eliminate some office support staff, Basic Skills staff, gifted and talented clustering

Eliminate a technology integration specialist and a gifted and talented/differentiation specialist

Keep teacher-student ratios the same at one per 31-32 students in core classes

Increase music section sizes

Move fifth- and sixth-grade art out of a language arts time block, increasing language arts and reading time, while splitting art, music and physical education three ways. That’s an increase for art and a decrease in music and physical education.

Provide seventh- and eighth-grade electives in a trimester schedule instead of a quarter schedule

Offer Spanish all-year as an elective option for seventh-eighth graders

Elementary Schools (these will vary based on building)

Joint third- and fourth-grade classrooms

Math would still be taught at grade level

Teams of three teachers handle 120 student-caseload, supplemented with up to five rotating specialists to provide differentiated learning

Incorporate elementary counseling into specialist time

Reduced afterschool bus service in response to decreased afterschool ridership (more afterschool activities)

Reduce evening custodial hours and close the school at 8:15 p.m.

Adjust temperature in buildings by one degree

Credit all-day kindergarten revenue to general fund

Plus these options from Budget Options 1, 2

Reduce pay for substitute teachers

Savings: $25,000

Hard freeze on compensation for district cabinet, directors/supervisors and other non-collective bargaining employee groups

Savings: $50,000

Revenue capture through third-party billing

Savings: $50,000

Charge other appropriate expenses into Compensatory Education fund

Savings: $100,000

Budget option 4 (co-location)

Move Mendota Elementary to second floor of Friendly Hills Middle School

Create early education hub at Mendota, while maintaining satellite locations at Pilot Knob and Moreland elementary schools

$20,000 costs for the move, no significant retrofits identified in plan

$50,000 for a new playground

Savings of $100,000 first year, then $300,000 in following year due to efficiencies

Potential lease revenue at Mendota Elementary of $50,000-$150,000

Eliminate need for a lease levy of $300,000+ for additional early education space