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9-R board lays groundwork for layoffs
Durango school district looking to cut $2.9 million from budget
Herald Staff Writer
Durango School District 9-R must cut nearly $2.9 million from its 2010-11 budget, said Laine Gibson, chief financial officer. The district operates on a general fund of about $40 million.
While board members and administrators are considering a menu of one-year cuts - such as delaying buying buses and computers - those are not nearly enough to fill the budget gap. District officials expect deep drops in state funding paired with rising health-care costs.
“We know we're going to have a reduction-in-force at the high school next year," said Superintendent Keith Owen.
Durango High School is expected to enroll at least 65 fewer students in 2010-11, Owen said. DHS enrolled 1,393 students last fall.
Owen said he hoped retirements, resignations and other attrition would soften the cuts the district must make. District officials are also looking at increasing class sizes by one to two students per class.
“It's not something that we want to think about, but unfortunately that's where the real money is as far as saving money for the district," board member Jeff Schell said. District 9-R spends a majority of its budget on staff salaries and benefits.
About 45 teachers, principals and school staff pensively watched the board meeting, at times reacting to suggested cuts with whispered asides.
Robert Logan, a DHS teacher, in testimony before the board, echoed others in urging the board to keep class sizes unchanged in the early elementary grades when pupils learn to read.
“If they can't read, they can't do anything else," Logan said.
Njal Schold, president of the Durango Education Association, said he hoped 9-R and the teachers' union could look at cuts with a spirit of “camaraderie."
Durango businessman Jim Schneider suggested cutting administrative costs, starting with the superintendent's salary. “Just about everybody's income in this community is down, with the possible exception of public employees," he said.
Owen is earning $155,250 this year.
One budget projection called for cutting six to eight administrative positions to save $655,000. The district already cut more than $300,000 from the central office budget this year.
“This is a very difficult time that we're facing over the next couple of years in Colorado," Owen said.
Board members also discussed dipping into 9-R's nearly $3.8 million reserve fund. The district keeps a reserve totaling about 10 percent of its general fund, far more than state law requires.
Four board members said they would be comfortable with spending $380,000 to $500,000 of the reserve fund. But board member Wendy Rice said she opposed the idea.
“I think we're going to need that down the road," she said.
Gibson said spending part of the reserve fund would provide only a temporary solution.
“It's basically taking money out of the savings account," he said. “If the revenue doesn't change, we'd have to make those cuts anyway."
The board is expected to delve into greater budget detail at a March 23 meeting.
Ironically, the most vocal proponent of spending some of the reserve fund was Padraig “Paddy" Lynch, the board member who resigned Friday. He was absent from Tuesday's board meeting, and the board declared his seat vacant, setting in motion a 60-day deadline to choose a replacement.
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Durango Herald Calendar of Events
Thursday, February 18, 2010
at 4:41:56 PM
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NotAColorButAHuman says...
Educator's Response speaks directly to one of the issues that I see as a parent and member of this community. "Collectively they stated in Strategy 6, We will invest in our employees and develop leadership capacity by attracting, retaining, supporting, developing, and effectively evaluating our staff." Is accurate, but invest does NOT necessarily mean payroll and this means ALL staff, including custodians, secretarys, etc..The issue I speak of is that many teachers have a sense of entitlement and when the district speaks it only speaks to or about them. Yes they are the main component of education, but try and do your job with more money and no working toilets, air-conditioning, etc...Mountain Middle School/Home-School Consortium here I come.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
at 9:44:27 PM
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Educator's Response says...
Regarding comments about teacher salaries, it is important to note that the increases made to teacher salaries effective or the 2009-2010 school year were driven by the district's strategic plan (see 9R website or a copy). The strategic plan was put together by 9R staff, parents, students, and community members. Collectively they stated in Strategy 6, We will invest in our employees and develop leadership capacity by attracting, retaining, supporting, developing, and effectively evaluating our staff. The moves by the district and union were in response to what the community decided was important.
I think that it's time that the Durango community get behind its values and education system as a top priority, even in a recession. If you have a problem with the strategic plan, you missed your open opportunity to participate in a great process. Superintendent Owen has exercised great leadership by bringing the community into its plan for the future. Many of its goals may have to be prioritized right now, but they will remain unchanged.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
at 7:28:08 PM
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Just the facts says...
Below is part of an article from the Herald last year. This was a quote from the union after they accepted a 5-7% raise when the economy was in shambles. Shame on the district and the union for being so short sited. Now we have more cuts and larger class size. Just think of how much less of the budget would have to be cut if someone would have been paying attention last year and a reasonable raise or no raise had been given.
"The unions overwhelmingly approved the contracts last week.
"We're real happy," said Njal Schold, DEA president, in an interview Wednesday. "We feel very fortunate that this has come to all the employee groups. Everybody saw a significant raise. I guess we'll see what the future brings."
Teachers and staff have complained for years of a salary gap between them and their peers in other districts.
District 9-R teachers earned an average of $43,579 compared with a statewide average of $47,493 in fall 2007, the most recent data available from the Colorado Department of Education.
Superintendent Keith Owen said it was made clear to him when he was hired last year that 9-R employees were underpaid."
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
at 3:39:06 PM
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Mallett says...
WHY NOT JUST CUT THE SALARY OF THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE MOST MONEY AND LETS KEEP THE TEACHERS TEACHING? SO THE KIDS STAY IN SCHOOL AND DO NOT FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
at 2:45:33 PM
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Scott says...
Big screen tv's in a transportation Center? Wow. Way to go Durango.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
at 2:19:22 PM
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Steve says...
I don't see how the Transportation Center has anything to do with the school district!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
at 1:57:51 PM
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Concerned says...
I have heard that it has been announced that 25 teaching positions will be cut. This will have a significant impact on classroom instruction. Any time these cuts are mentioned we need to ask where and how the Central Administration are cutting their budgets! Cuts need to come from the top first, before cuts are made that will directly impact the students!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
at 11:00:53 AM
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Mellowmood says...
Well... Afghanistan has nothing to do with the 9R district not having money... Obama doesn't have anything to do with the 9R district... that being said... why was all that money spent on the rediculous transportation center with big screen tv's and cable tv? You would think that the pointless programs would get cut first. There needs to be a good long look taken at the school board and the persons responsible for taking money from the schools. It is obvious to me, after the budget fiasco of last year and this year, someone is lining their pockets. On the flip side the 9R district is horrible and the teaching there is not the best so maybe getting rid of some people would be a good idea... lets start with the mule in admin who decided they should start talking about taking money away from our children's education.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
at 10:31:40 AM
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Calirodan says...
Just think -- if we weren't killing people in Afghanistan and Iraq, we might be able to educate our own children. It seems like you can have a strong military or you can improve the quality of life for your own citizens, but very few countries can sustain both for more than a generation at the most.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
at 10:31:06 AM
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Ken says...
This must be part of the "improving economic picture" Obama keeps talking about. I guess that stimulus package is really working now.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
at 10:27:28 AM
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Ma says...
I think the comment by Jim Schneider was a good one. Cut some of the admin's salary. Many, many people (including myself) in Durango earn 1/3 and even less of what Owen makes and we make it. But unfortunately, 9R is top heavy with administration....just like the hospital, DMR, etc. I know they have "earned" it by obtaining a degree, taking responsibility, tenure, etc. but......gimme a break $ :( do what makes sense, keep teachers teaching so that our kids don't fall through the cracks