School board considers options for mid-year cuts

By DEB WUETHRICH

The Tecumseh Board of Education will be reviewing some potential options for mid-year budget cuts to help the district meet budgetary problems that have surfaced since the beginning of the school year, along with anticipating future budgetary needs.

School districts across the state already had budgets set when they received news this fall following state budget negotiations that more cuts would be coming. Tecumseh had anticipated that it might receive $110 less per student in foundation allowance money this year, but the first cut came in at $165 per student, and Governor Jennifer Granholm enacted an additional cut of $127 per student in October. Districts are awaiting estimates from an annual Revenue Estimating Conference in January to determine whether more cuts will have to be factored in for this school year.

Tecumseh Schools Superintendent Mike McAran said estimates of cuts for next year could be as high as $600-900 per student. Add that to a continuing decline in student enrollment, which Tecumseh Public Schools also has experienced, as well as declining revenues, and there is considerably less for schools to work with to provide students with a good education.

“We’ve got to find a way to do things a lot more economically,” said McAran. He said the district anticipates a $2.7 million shortfall in the foundation allowance alone by fiscal year 2011. “You’re going to have to do a lot of things differently and things are going to change a lot for schools and how they do things,” McAran said.

Potential options for mid-year cuts posed to the school board Monday night, after being reviewed by the board’s finance committee, included the following suggestions that could have some potential cost savings (savings are only estimates): transportation changes, including route changes and efficiencies, $40,000; phone bill analysis, reviewing line charges and plans, $7,500; changes in district-covered cell phone plans, $2,500; eliminate district paid mileage, which would have to be negotiated out of contracts, $5,000; reduce energy costs by removing personal heaters and refrigerators, $1,000; reduce professional conferences, $7,500; close the administration building and potentially move offices to the high school, $40,000.

The proposal being reviewed by the board also includes consideration to encourage eligible staff members to retire and be rehired through a third party contractor, which could potentially save an estimated $40,000; layoff of 3-5 instructional assistant staff, $32,500; and laying off the recently hired Early Learning Facilitators (seven staff members) who were hired this year before the present cuts were known, $60,000.

In addition to administrative scrutiny of the district’s finances and potential budget areas that might be further reduced this year, a Special Economic Advisory Committee (SEAC) made up of community members has begun the process of reviewing and analyzing the district’s overall financial condition. This group also is helping to assess the magnitude and duration of the projected revenue shortfall. SEAC held its first meeting December 10, and is expected to meet again December 22 and January 14 to develop and communicate a statement of TPS finances to the Board of Education regarding the committee’s assessment of the district’s financial position.  

The district also will hold stakeholder meetings to further examine the situation schools are facing and to seek input. Such groups include unions, PTO groups, foundation boards, booster groups, and various community groups. The board is expected to further discuss options and take action on some of them at future meetings.

Other business conducted at Monday night’s school board meeting included:

• A presentation by THS students Adam Steuwe, Kyia Salts and Britni Birt regarding their LISD Tech Center class being featured on a new national TV show starting celebrity chef Guy Fieri. The show aired earlier this month.
• A presentation to THS student Karlie Ledergerber as the Lucy Wolcott Barnum Chapter/Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Scholar. Ledergerber’s patriotic essay was selected from among county submissions to advance to the state level.
• A report from Communities In Schools of the Tecumseh Area Executive Director Susan Reeder, who said that CIS has faced a tough 2009 fiscal year, but is working to minimize the effects of less funding. Reeder outlined the benefits to students of such programs as the PeaceMaking/Conflict Resolution program, Rolling Reader program and other special activities that are provided to help students achieve and be successful.
• Comments from THS teacher Jan Wilson, who outlined the benefits of the block scheduling program and how important Seminar is to students, and asked that the board “not take away a feature of our high school program which sets us apart and which offers to our students the very best system which we have found to provide quality learning opportunities for them.” Wilson’s comments were in response to a presentation on the trimester system presented at a recent board meeting. She added, “Please ask the high school staff where our priorities lie, and let us work together to guard what is precious to all of us while compromising on those items which are not as valuable to us and our community.”
• A report regarding a recent Michigan Department of Education Office of Field Services On-Site Review, which included positive comments regarding the district’s Title I programs. Suggestions for improvement include the formation of a parental involvement plan.