Compressed calendar is only one idea to manage reduced state funding

The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee is scheduled to set the K-12 education budget on March 1st. As you can imagine, there is a lot of scrambling among the various education stakeholders to have input into the final budget. We will see if they get it done on Monday and then try to get the best estimate of the impact on the Genesee School District.

The administration and Board have been working on various ways to develop a balanced budget for the coming school year. During the past several school years, the Board has reduced the school district budget to reflect a drop in enrollment. The 09-10 budget is 5.8% less than the 08-09 budget. The 08-09 budget was about 1.1% less than actual expenditures in 07-08.

This year we are looking at a reduction in state funding of $168,000 or more due to the current economic situation. In addition, we are looking at a further state funding reduction in the amount of $122,000 due to the drop in enrollment from last year. Couple this $290,000 state funding reduction with the need to replace $60,000 worth of stimulus funding which is no longer available and the $105,000 one-time expenditure from the District's fund balance and now we are looking at $455,000 above and beyond our position this year.

Add that $455,000 to the current one-year supplemental levy of $515,000, tack on the $25,000 it would cost to purchase updated math textbooks which was postponed last year and all of the sudden maintaining the status quo requires $995,000 local funds above what is provided by the state.

We anticipate some retirements, we can expend more of the fund balance, we might be able to further reduce supplies, services and equipment, we can postpone the purchase of updated math textbooks for another year or two and that might get us to a $750,000 levy. That levy will cost in the neighborhood of $5.46 per $1,000 of assessed valuation which represents an increase of nearly 50%.

That is why the Board and administration are discussing a compressed calendar. Other ideas: reduction in activities, reduction of teachers, reduction of classified staff. Some have rightly suggested that we consider furloughs as a way of saving money. This is also being discussed but Idaho has a law that only allows a District to pay employees less next year than they received this year if a financial emergency is declared. There are a number of criteria required before a district can even qualify to declare a financial emergency (Idaho Code 33-522).

You can be assured that the trustees and administration are looking at all options while maintaining the focus on the students.