An email sent to all teachers today:
From Bill Hanson, Director of Business Services,
Duluth Public Schools:
I wanted to let you know that during the 10/7/08 Committee of the Whole meeting, the school board discussed the following considerations for cutting the 2009-10 budget by $7.7 million if Question 1 on the operating levy doesn’t pass. We’re approaching this as beginning our budget process early – in other words, instead of waiting until December to develop considerations we’re developing them now.
The bottom line is this; if the levy fails, we will not be able to deliver education as we do now. We’ve done the research and had the conversations necessary to know these considerations are realistic and doable, if necessary:
–Eliminate General Fund support for Co/extracurricular programs –
$1,100,000
–Athletic/Extra-curricular offerings reduced to two high schools –
$250,000
–Additional staff development reduction 50% – $550,000
–Increase class size by one – $1,176,000
–Eliminate 8th grade option STC – $184,800
–Fund STC from ratio – $940,800
–Elementary Shortened Year Plan – $336,000%
–Transportation services reduced to state guidelines – $300,000
–Accelerate school closing schedule – $1,700,000
–Reduce Middle School allocation by 3.5 FTE – $294,000
–Reduce administrative positions – $100,000
–Charge space cost to discretionary programs – $100,000
–Reduce ESL program – $84,000
–Combine teen parent and habitat programs – $84,000,
–Reduce elementary school day 15 minutes – $840,000,
–Change Middle School from 7 to 6 period day – $850,000
–Eliminate the High School zero hour – $252,000
–Implement 4 day school week – $3,297,087
If you have questions please email me at
william.hanson@duluth.k12.mn.us.
