Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
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Monday, October 23, 2006
Dayton school cuts will come early
The Dayton Board of Education has cancelled a meeting it had planned for today and instead will meet at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Wurlitzer Room at 136 S. Ludlow St. (across from the district’s main downtown headquarters).
The Monday meeting was planned in case the board wanted to hash out details of the planned cuts one more time, but as they left Saturday’s meeting, board members agreed to continue their discussion informally by phone and E-mail and only convene for the Monday meeting if there was a major concern about the plan that needed to be aired.
This is an open public meeting that anyone can attend.
For more background on the proposed school cuts, go:
—Here for the proposed cuts to begin in January.
—Here for the list of cuts proposed for July 1.
—Here for Sunday’s story on the cuts.
—Here to add your comments to the debate over the cuts.
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Details of Dayton schools’ proposed cuts
To help everyone get a better handle on what exactly Dayton school administrators have proposed for cuts, I’m spelling out everything they discussed Saturday here at Get on the Bus. The cuts proposed for January 2007 can be viewed by following the “continue reading” link. Go here for the cuts proposed for July 2007.
(If you want to add your two cents on this issue, take a look at the conversation going on here.)
Cuts proposed for January, 2007
Curriculum and Instruction
—Reduce high school electives for the second semester and eliminate 52 teachers.
Rationale: High school enrollment tends to decline in the second semester.
Savings: $1.2 million
—Reduce adjunct staff at Stivers and Colonel White high schools by 25 percent, affecting about 28 adjuncts.
Rationale: Saving can be made by cutting specialized arts services, like one-on-one lessons.
Savings: $101,000
—Reduce all Curriculum and Instruction budgets by 11 percent.
Rationale: Programs, including some teacher training, would be reduced.
Savings: $337,900
—Eliminate middle school foreign language and cut five teachers.
Rationale: Dayton had begun adding language teachers for grades 6 to 8 at each newly opened elementary school in hopes of building language skills before high school. This would end that program, but board members Saturday asked administrators to try to find a way to keep it.
Savings: $108,000
—Abolish administrative jobs of director of pupli services, executive director of grants, associate director of fine arts and associate director of ELA.
Rationale: Other administrators in curriculum would assume the workload.
Savings: $334,517
—Moving costs of nurses for handicapped kids and mental health workers for emotionally disturbed kids to grant funding.
Rationale: Saves general fund dollars.
Savings: $1.3 million
—Close the automotive program at Patterson Career Center.
Rationale: The district would find an alternative for its 15 students
Savings: $81,000
Total curriculum and instruction savings: $3.2 million
Superintendent’s office
—Reduce catered food
Rationale: This cuts food for events that do not involve students.
Savings: $26,000
—Cut two positions — associate director of human resources and a secretary.
Rationale: Won’t fill two open positions.
Savings: $142,029
—Reduce advertising
Rationale: Cut construction news updates and mailings.
Savings: $45,000
Total superintendent’s office savings: $213,029
—Realize workers’ compensation savings.
Rationale: Treasurer Stan Lucas said improvement in the district’s workers’ compensation rating and changes in the way the program is administered should results in a savings.
Savings: $3 million
Total Treasurer’s office savings: $3 million
Facilities Management
Utilities
—Natural gas costs lowered
Rationale: Lower prices should result in a savings. Negotiations are underway.
Total utilities savings: $900,000
Groundswork
—Lay off one groundsworker and reduce equipment maintenance.
Rationale: Reduce mowing to once every seven days instead of five.
Total groundswork savings: $38,164
Custodial
—Lay off 11 assistant custodians,15 substitute custodians, four night assistant custodians, one area manager and reduce overtime.
Rationale: Reduce service to “priority cleaning,” focused on trash removal, sweeping and bathrooms.
Total custodial savings: $562,795
Maintenance
—Eliminate contracted service and create two new HVAC positions on DPS staff. Reduce overtime. Conserve supplies.
Rationale: Reduce response time for some repairs.
Total maintenance savings: $336,057
Total facilities management savings: $1.8 million
Nutrition services
—Lay off six part-time food workers, hold off on point-of-sale equipment purchase, buy some cheaper food products, reduce cash reserve for kitchen repairs.
Rationale: Will slow down packaging time and delay repairs.
Total nutrition services savings: $252,632
Transportation
—Cut one body shop mechanic, 19 bus aides for special education bus routes, delay tire purchases for non-buses.
Rationale:Longer turnaround in repairs and less student supervision. Could result in disputes with labor unions.
Total transportation savings: $254,850
Safety and Security
—Delay hiring of second security officers for Kiser and Cornell Heights schools and eliminate one school safety liason.
Rationale: Reduce security coverage at those schools.
Total safety and security savings: $93,594
Athletics and Intramurals
—Cut high school golf, tennis, cross country, soccer and swimming, eliminating 27 coaches. Cut middle school track, softball, cheerleading, wrestling, and soccer, eliminating 29 coaches. Eliminate annual transfer of general funds to athletic budget.
Rationale: The district wants to maintain high interest sports and those that bring in revenue, epsecially football, basketball and volleyball. There was some talk Saturday of district-wide teams for some non-revenue sports that otherwise would be cut, an idea that could end up in the final proposal the board votes on.
Total athletics and intramural savings: $543,093
Business Operations
—Discontinue lease for extra parking under St. John’s Church next to the administration building.
Rationale: other extra parking is available nearby.
Total business operations savings: $14,000
Total overall savings: $9.4 million
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Dayton school cuts for 2007-08
Here’s the second half of the cuts the school board has planned for July 2007. Just follow the “continue reading” link at the bottom.
The board is planning a 9.75 mill levy for May and if it passes, most of these cuts likely will not be implemented. The cuts for January are expected to go pretty much as described if the board approves this plan Tuesday.
Cuts proposed for July 2007
Curriculum and Instruction
—Close two elementary schools and one middle school.
Rationale: The district will move to consolidate more aggressively in preparation for new, larger schools to come online.
Saving: $4.4 million
—Consolidate Montessori programs at Franklin Elementary School.
Rationale: This allows for the elimination of extra teacher’s aides at Jefferson and Horace Mann schools who assist with Montessori programs. The district has plans to eventually have one Montessori school at the Patterson Career Center site on River Corridor Drive.
Savings: $643,500
—Abolish administrative jobs of executive director of secondary education, assistant superintendent for pupil services, legal liason, one position in the accountability office, one principal, associate director of elementary initiatives and one teacher on special assignment.
Rationale: Several of these jobs will be vacated by retirement. Workload will be shared by other administrators.
Savings: $710,439
—Eliminate non-essential summer school programs.
Rationale: Will offer only summer school programs required by No Child Left Behind.
Saving: N/A
—Eliminate intervention program during fall break.
Rationale: This program is designed to help kids catch up who need extra help during an October break.
Saving: $30,000
—Reduce adjunct staff at Stivers and Colonel White high schools by another 25 percent.
Rationale: Saving can be made by cutting specialized arts services.
Savings: $202,233
—Cut high school electives by another 25 percent.
Rationale: Schools will build master schedules that focus on basic subjects with fewer elective choices.
Savings: 518,400
—Eliminate either vocal or instrumental music at elementary schools.
Rationale: Cuts a program offering both at elementary schools. Reduces each school to one music teacher
Savings: $665,415
—Move one administrative position to grant funding
Rationale: Reduces general fund budget costs.
Savings: $87,301
—Eliminate all five high school nurses.
Rationale: One remaining nurse will rotate among the high schools.
Savings: $216,000
—Raise class size to labor contract maximum (25).
Rationale: Expected to result in 21 teaching jobs cut.
Savings: $943,326
—Eliminate 10 elementary school assistant principals and three teachers on special assignment in elementary schools.
Rationale: Schools will operate with less supervision.
Savings: $1.1 million
—Reduce high schools to one assistant principal.
Rationale: Each high school will have just one assistant principal.
—Eliminate the job of principal at Colonel White High School’s academic magnet program and teacher on special assignment at the school.
Rationale: Magnet program for high achievers will operate with less supervision and leadership.
Savings: $174,000
—Seek grant funding for general fund programs.
Rationale: Reduces costs to the general fund.
Savings: $500,000
Total curriculum and instruction savings: $11 million
Facilities Management
Engineering
—Cut purchased services.
Rationale: Reduce previously planned purchases.
Total engineering savings: $25,000
Groundswork
—Lay off two groundskeepers.
Rationale: Will push the mowing cycle from once a week to every 10 days at schools and every two weeks for vacant lots.
Total groundswork savings: $89,859
Custodial
—Lay off five night assistant custodians, five substitute custodians and one area manager.
Rationale: Expand “priority cleaning,” focusing on basics like trash removal and sweeping, to more sites. Fewer supervisor visits to buildings.
Total custodial savings: $360,024
Maintenance
—Lay off eight maintenance workers
Rationale: Reduces response time for repair requests.
Total maintenance savings: $571,933
Total facilities management savings: $1 million
Transportation
—Cut one budget inventory technician, five bus aides, one router and one dispatch. Also, eliminate RTA bus passes for high school students.
Rationale: Longer turnaround on repairs, no student field trips, reduced bus supervision, no out-of-city travel for middle school sports.
Total transportation savings: $3.5 million
Logistical support services
—Lay off stock clerk
Rationale: Processing time for school supplies will double.
Savings: $29,460
Safety and Security
—Lay off security officers at Belle Haven and Wogaman schools.
Rationale: Newer schools have more cameras and safety features and can be monitored without security. Some board members asked administrators to reconsider this move.
Total safety and security savings: $72,467
Athletics and Intramurals
—Eliminate annual transfer of general funds to athletic budget.
Rationale: Turf at Welcome Stadium will be replaced with funds provided by a state grant, reducing the need for the transfer.
Total athletics and intramural savings: $5475,000
Superintendent’s office
—Reduce catered food, consultant services, travel, supplies, printing, professional group association dues and memberships, equipment rental.
Rationale: Cuts do not impact academic programs
Savings: $53,000
—Reduce advertising
Rationale: Cut student recruitment materials and mailings.
Savings: $25,000
Total superintendent’s office savings: $78,000
—Close down and shut off utilities for Roosevelt High School, the former First Street administration building, two elementary schools and one middle school (the schools have not been named)
Rationale: Save general funds.
Total building closure savings: $1.5 million
Additional reductions still needed
—Workforce reductions.
Rationale: To meet the 2007-08 budget without a new levy, the board must significantly reduce spending beyond the cuts already listed.
Savings still needed: $9.3 million
—Non-payroll reductions
Rationale: To meet the 2007-08 budget without a new levy, the board must significantly reduce spending beyond the cuts already listed.
Savings still needed: $2.9 million
Grand total proposed cost savings: $30 million
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