Renton School District officials are back to planning for the worst.
Earlier this month, the district officials announced the school district had escaped the state’s budgetary scythe better than expected and would likely have to cut only $3.5 million from next school year’s budget.
But the latest reduction proposal, presented to Renton School Board at a meeting Wednesday night, is $5.3 million in cuts — closer to the district’s initial worst-case-scenario estimation of $6 million in cuts. The budget, which could undergo further changes, will be approved by the School Board in August.
“After we learned what we would be receiving, or in this case, would not be receiving, in federal stimulus dollars, we realized we needed to reduce the budget even more,” said district spokesperson Randy Matheson.
The district is receiving some federal stimulus money, Matheson said, but at the expense of state money. The state plans to hack nearly $1 billion from its budget for kindergarten through 12th grades.
The district is losing most of its money — about $4.2 million — from the 73 percent decrease in state funding for Initiative 728, which gives Washington school districts money to reduce class size.
I-728 was passed by voters in 2000. After two years, the state Legislature is allowed to repeal voter-approved initiatives.
Fortunately, unlike most area school districts, Renton has figured out a way to hang on to its 850 continuing-contract teachers.
But that just means the district has to make cuts elsewhere. “Devastating cuts,” Matheson and district Superintendent Dr. Mary Alice Heuschel said.
“We’re pleased that we didn’t have to RIF (short for reduction in force) any of our teachers; but at the same time, it is devastating to our system to have to cut $5.3 million,” Matheson said.
Each Renton classroom will grow by two or three students next school year and the one-year, leave-replacement contracts will not be renewed for about 72 teachers and teacher aides. (Those teachers may still be hired on before the end of the summer.)
The district had earlier said only 35 of those fill-in educators would not have their one-year contracts renewed.
The budget proposal states that several other teachers hired with I-728 funds would be reassigned to other grades or schools in Renton, at a savings of $2.5 million. Funding would be reduced or eliminated to programs throughout the district.
Fifth-grade band and orchestra would disappear, as would charter buses and the C teams of high school sports. District funding for IKEA Performing Arts Center would be cut in half, lunch prices would go up a quarter and less money would be set aside for the district’s fund balance.
The proposed cuts also include furloughs for administrators.
“Although we worked hard, and were successful, in avoiding cuts to continuing-contract teachers, the state’s budget cuts for Renton are devastating,” Heuschel said in the press release. “The loss of some highly capable first-year teachers, along with necessary cuts to programs, negatively impacts our efforts to increase student achievement.”
Still, Renton’s proposed cuts are far less devastating than those proposed in neighboring districts. In Kent School District, 29 teachers and six administrators received notices saying they would be laid off at the end of this school year.
Matheson thanks the Renton community for keeping the district out of Kent’s quandary by approving two levies and a $150 million construction bond last spring.
One of those approved levies, the Education Maintenance and Operations (M & O) Replacement Levy, provides the district with $25 million a year, or one-fourth of its budget.
“We’d be in a much more dire position if not for the community support of approving those bonds and levies,” Matheson said.
CUTS PROPOSED TO SCHOOL BOARD
Staff moved to other grades or schools: $2,509,000
• Elementary and secondary schools (teachers hired with I-728 funding)
• I-728 generalists (teacher assistants hired with I-728 funding)
• Seven Teachers On Special Assignment
• Several professional development coaches
• A librarian position (a position vacated by retirement that will be left unfilled)
• Eliminate two support staff positions
• Eliminate a long-term substitute position
Miscellaneous cuts: $1,482,000
• Delay for one year the adoptions of curriculum in world geography, high school language arts, AP English and others
• Delay the opening of Honey Dew Elementary School
• Convert student and financial management systems to a new software
• Leadership team furlough — have the 70-some members of the district’s leadership team take three to five days off.
Program eliminations and funding reductions: $410,000
• Fifth grade band and orchestra
• Secondary athletic coordinators
• High school athletics C teams
• Reduce funding for IKEA Performing Arts Center from $110,000 to $60,000
• Increase the price of school lunches by 25 cents
• Reduce the money set aside to the emergency fund by $390,000
Transportation: $350,000
• No charter buses
• Consolidate routes to various athletic events
• Reduce transportation for Work Programs Transition and No Child Left Behind
• Overnight stays outside of the district will not be allowed unless the training is funded and required by the grant provider
Reducing money paid to staff for some overtime hours and events: $190,000
• Secondary music
• Elementary music
• Nursing
• TOSA extra hours
• Librarian extra days
Budget vote in August
Work is continuing on the Renton School District’s 2009-2010 budget. Renton School Board will approve the budget at an August meeting. For more information or to offer comments about the budget, visit the Renton School District Web site or call the district at 425-204-2300.
