TRUSTEES IDENTIFY POTENTIAL BUDGET REDUCTIONS

March 20, 2002

At its meeting on March 14, 2002, the Larkspur School District Board of Trustees identified several possible ways we could reduce the budget by approximately $250,000 – $350,000 for the 2002-2003 school year and beyond. We need to make these reductions to allow the district to continue to pay competitive salaries to its excellent staff. Our revenues are not keeping pace with salary increases, and we face cuts in state funding.

The district is evaluating areas that could be cut, as well as alternative ways some programs could be delivered for reduced cost. While we will make a continued effort to find new sources of funding, at this time we must achieve reductions that will allow us to adopt a balanced budget, as required by state law.

There will be two Community Forums on the Budget on March 25, 2002 — one at 8:45am in the Neil Cummins Staff Lounge, and a second at 7:00pm in Room 12 at Hall. The Trustees will then be making some final decisions at the Board meeting on March 28, 2002 at 7:00pm at Hall.

The Trustees have identified the following items for potential reduction: potential savings

  • Pursue contracting out landscape/gardening $36,000
  • Eliminate .5 office clerical position at each school $40,000
  • Eliminate special education administrator position $42,000
  • Purchase paper in bulk $ 4,600
  • Pay stipends for life lab, student council, etc., out of site budget $12,000
  • Reduce reading support staff, work to deliver alternatively $40,000
  • Deliver science for grades 3-5 in classroom, cut specialist position $42,600
  • Freeze technology hardware expenditures except for repair (no savings in current budget)

Other possible reductions identified by the Trustees include:

  • Reduce conference & mileage expenditures
  • Reduce custodial services (e.g., clean classrooms every other day or other service reductions)
  • Deliver art in the classroom through alternative programs (e.g., Youth in Arts)
  • Increase class size at grades 4 through 8
  • Reduce or eliminate classroom aides
  • Reduce nursing services to minimum screenings required by law

The Trustees have requested additional information or clarification from staff regarding several of these items. Further, the Trustees have inquired as to what a 10-15% cut in district office expenses would look like. This information will be provided at the March 28th board meeting.

Budget reductions are a difficult and painful task for the Trustees. It is our intent to minimize the impact of these changes on the children of the district. While we have received extensive input from community and staff regarding the reductions, we would like the decisions to be informed by as much breadth of input as possible. We encourage you to express your priorities — either at the upcoming forums or by writing to the Trustees. Our e-mail addresses are below, or you can send a letter in care of the district office.

As we move forward, we are mindful of a motto heard recently from another district:
“Kids are our bottom line and our top priority!”

Thank you for your continued support of the district!

Board of Trustees:
Karen Ellinboe
Sally Blatt
Stacey Weeks
Kathy Hartzell
Molly WhiteCommunications from the School Board