School Board Adopts 2009-10 Budget
June 24, 2009: The board moved to adopt and appropriate the 2009-10 budget and to impose and categorize taxes for the fiscal year as presented. The budget assumes a state school funding level of $5.7 billion and is based upon current estimates of available resources and projected expenditures. The budget, which anticipates a $49.9 million state school funding level, represents a balanced budget for 2009-10 and is predicated on a four-day school week.
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Budget Committee Approves 2009-10 Proposed Budget
Monday, June 9: The Redmond School District's Budget Committee unanimously approved the superintendent’s 2009-10 proposed budget at its June 8 meeting.
The budget is based upon current estimates of available resources and projected expenditures. The proposal, which anticipates a $49.9 million state school funding level, represents a balanced budget for 2009-10 and is predicated on a four-day school week.
“Current economic conditions made this an extremely challenging budget cycle,” said Superintendent Vickie Fleming. “We are, however, committed to strategic investments in student achievement and dedicated to stay on a path of fiscal caution and prudence.”
The savings represented by a four-day calendar will allow the district to operate within its means while maintaining reasonable class sizes and a continuum of programs that support a college and work readiness curriculum.
The school year will meet the legal requirements for instructional hours by lengthening the school day approximately 30 minutes for elementary and 45 minutes for middle and high school.
Fleming explains that although the four-day model may not be ideal, maintaining a typical calendar (5 days) would mean increasing class sizes, reducing another 20-30 teachers or cutting as many as 30 school days, making further reductions in salaries, and eliminating as many as 250 course offerings at the high school level.
As approved, primary cost savings include:
· Teacher preparation will occur outside the student contact day. This means teachers will provide instruction every period and will prepare their lessons outside of the student contact day. This was approved by teachers on June 5.
· Music, PE and art will be maintained in the curriculum; however, music and PE specialist positions at the elementary level will be eliminated. This instruction will be provided by the classroom teacher.
· Electives and extracurricular offerings at the secondary level will be reduced and some eliminated.
· Staff reductions have been made encompassing 59 licensed (teaching positions), 12 classified (support staff), and 7 administrative positions. Some of these losses are offset by retirements, attrition, nonrenewal of temporary positions, and movement to different funding sources. Currently, 41 individuals have been notified of potential layoffs.
· Student transportation and nutrition services will be reduced by one day a week.
· Cost-of-living freezes for 2009-10.
Fleming credits the district’s dedicated employees and their creative ideas for re-inventing the way time and resources are used as key elements in balancing the budget, while still staying true to the district’s core values and beliefs.
“We thank our employees for their shared sacrifices and concessions in making this coming school year the best it can be for our students,” said Fleming. “We have many reasons to remain optimistic and will continue to plan with an eye toward success and seek to sustain the trust and confidence of our community.”
The School Board of Directors will conduct a final public hearing on the 2009-10 budget at their June 24 meeting. The School Board is required by law to adopt the budget before June 30.
A copy of the budget document may be inspected or obtained at the District Office between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
About the Budget Committee
The Budget Committee is made up of all five School Board Members and five appointed Citizen Members. Each citizen member is appointed to serve for three years. The Budget Committee for the 2009-10 school year are school board members Cathy Miller, Jim Erickson, Janet May, Dan Murphy, Paul Rodby; and citizens Ed Boero, Travis Browning, Don Fields, Alice Galloway-Neely and Holly Sides. It is the function of the budget committee to approve budget estimates for an educational plan previously determined by the Board. The budget committee will determine levels of spending, but will not determine programs.
