Decatur schools start cutting

Decatur city schools by mid-January will find out how Superintendent Phyllis Edwards wants to cut $2 million from their budget to make up for a sour economy and state funding cuts. The 2,800-student system will likely be the first in metro Atlanta to finalize its budget for the next, recession-hit school year.

Early decision

School systems typically work on the next year’s budget from October through May. In Decatur’s case, however, Edwards wants a plan in hand prior to asking teachers to sign contracts for next year —- which usually happens no later than March. That’s because not everyone may get their job back. The timeline is unusually early but, as Edward recently said, “This year, the picture has been different right from the start.”

Background

Decatur —- which has a general fund budget of $37 million —- since 2002 has lost $2.7 million in state funds because of so-called “austerity reductions.” Gov. Sonny Perdue implemented the cuts in response to the massive budget shortfall he faced after he won office in 2002. State revenue rebounded by early 2006 but the cuts continued. They are expected to persist, if not deepen, in the recession. That’s why Edwards, who also faces uncertainty about things like local tax collections, is eyeing a plan to trim next school year’s budget by $2 million. Edwards said she has no plans to request a tax millage increase.

Tough choices

City school board member Julie Rhame called Decatur’s Frasier Center “one of our jewels.” It faces the ax. A child development center located at Decatur High School, Frasier serves children from six weeks to three years and is available to students, staff and the public. Of all the possible cuts, the center has received the most impassioned pleas for survival at public meetings. “I would rather lose the step [pay raise, based on years of experience], than lose the Frasier Center,” said David Schaar, a science teacher at Decatur High. Cutting the center would save $61,000. Among steeper cuts discussed: the system’s popular foreign language program for kindergartners through fifth-graders, to save $408,000; all teacher aides in second through fifth grade, to save $500,000; laying off six middle school teachers, to save $400,000; and laying off two elementary art, music or physical education teachers, to save $133,300.

Likely losses

Some of Decatur’s budget-trimming measures are almost a given, including no raises, fewer work days in summer, less training and cuts to alternative education and after-school programs. These measures are all included in several scenarios Edwards has made public. Deeper cuts are needed, however. Edwards earlier this month held a meeting to hear from the public about where those deeper cuts may need to come from.

What’s next

Edwards is expected to present a final proposal to the board at its next regular meeting, Jan. 13 at system headquarters, 758 Scott Blvd. in Decatur. To find out more, including the different budget scenarios outlined by Edwards, log on to the system’s Web site: www.decatur-city.k12.ga.us.