K-12 staff reductions loom
With declining enrollment and dips in
state funding, the Whitefish School District is projected to be
grossly overstaffed next year, and massive personnel cuts are
likely if a levy isn’t passed by voters in the upcoming school
elections.
Facing an anticipated maximum deficit
of close to $1 million, superintendent Jerry House presented that
“worst-case scenario” budget to the Whitefish School Board of
Trustees at a work session on March 22. The budget outlined where a
possible 30 layoffs will happen if a levy isn’t passed or more
state funding doesn’t come through.
House said the presentation used “soft”
numbers based on the current budget. State funding is unknown at
this time and may change the figures by the time a final budget is
approved on April 14.
“We’ll be adjusting the budget figures
based upon any further revenue, or not, from this legislative
session,” House noted.
Some reasons for the shortfall include
a decrease in state funding, an end to federal stimulus money and
declining enrollment.
Next year’s projections show a loss of
30 students at the high school and 42 students at the middle
school. Muldown Elementary School expects to gain 13 students for a
total district loss of 59 students that will leave a $295,000 hole
in the budget.
Most of the district’s finances, 88
percent, are put toward salaries and benefits — the main area being
considered for budget reductions. The school district currently
employs 210 people, of which about 140 are teachers, counselors and
librarians.
“With declining enrollment and
overstaffing, there’s only one area to go to and that’s personnel,”
House said. “Reductions in K-12 staff are a must.”
Up to six classified, 12 non-tenured,
eight tenured and four administrative positions could be cut
according to House’s worst-case budget. Extra-curricular
reductions, including sports, are also being explored.
The district sent out letters last week
to notify those whose job may be in jeopardy.
“The hard part is that you hire people
for a reason,” House said. “Then you come to a budget crunch like
we’re facing and have to tell someone they don’t have a job —
that’s tough.”
Maintaining accreditation standards
will be a challenge, House said, if such a dramatic cut to the
district’s staff occurs. To stay accredited, a single teacher can’t
teach more than 150 students a day, and seventh- to 12th-grade
class sizes must be capped at 30 students.
That means a teacher with six periods a
day would be capped at 25 students a class.
Class sizes for seventh through 12th
grades next year are estimated to be between 22 and 26
students.
The board discussed a levy request to
offset the projected shortfall. House estimates requests of
$174,000 for K-8 and $124,000 for the high school. The maximum the
board can request for K-12 is $506,735. If a maximum levy is passed
by voters, the budget deficit would be reduced to $460,671.
A final levy amount will be set at a
special April 4 school board meeting.
Trustee Eric Hosek commented that the
potential staff reductions could leave deep wounds in the school
district, similar to how a business would be hurt with layoffs.
Long-time trustee David Fern noted that
there should be an aggressive public relations campaign to
distribute factual information about the upcoming levy request.
“We can’t take a win for granted,” Fern
said.
A sub-committee was formed to mobilize
the information to voters before the May 3 election.