The slumping economy and the resulting federal and state
purse-string tightening means Englewood School District expects to
make cuts to the 2008-09 budget.
Peg LaPlante, district finance director, said district revenues
have been hit by a decline in specific ownership taxes from car
registration and less interest on investments. Additionally, the
state is expected to make a funding recision, which would means the
district will get less money than promised as part of the 2008-09
school funding bill passed by the Legislature last year.
“We don’t know all the details yet but we are taking steps to
freeze spending in order to cut the budget by about $400,000,”
LaPlante said. “The spending freeze applies to all schools and
departments unless the purchases are needed for the safety of the
students or are essential to education the children.”
The spending freeze applies supplies and there is now a
requirement for approval to copy any documents. LaPlante said such
cuts will produce small savings but the small savings quickly add
up to help the district balance its budget.
About 45 percent of total district revenues come from local
sources, primarily property taxes, while the remainder comes from
state school funding.
Since both revenue sources could decline, the district is
currently formulating plans on how to deal those anticipated
revenue reductions for the next school year.
State school funding will probably decline because the state is
facing the need to trim next year’s budget by $823 million.
The governor has outlined his proposed cuts to the Legislature’s
joint budget committee and the committee has given a general
outline of those proposed state budget cuts that would impact
public schools.
LaPlante said the list indicates all the areas that received
increased funding this year will be eliminated, frozen or see
funding reduced.
For example, the governor recommends rolling back the cost of
living factor in the school finance formula to 2000-01 levels. That
will lower the per-pupil state funding that school district
receives. The proposal would save the state about $70 million which
means Englewood is expecting to receive about $300,000 less in
state funding next school year.
Other possible cuts are unknown and LaPlante said the district
will continue to keep an eye on developments as the work progresses
on developing a budget for the 2009-10 school year.
The school year runs from July 1 until June 30. State law
requires the district establish a balanced budget, and the school
board must have the budget adopted by the end of June.
All day kindergarten funding was kept at the 2008-09 level.
Englewood used the additional money to offer free all-day
kindergarten to all students for the first time this school
year.
Sean McDaniel, school superintendent, said Englewood places a
high priority on offering free all-day kindergarten and, while the
amount of state money for the program won’t increase and may go
down, he is very hopeful that the program will go unchanged for the
2009-10 school year.
School district trimming this year’s budget
District also looking at cuts for 09/10 budget
Both actions triggered by sagging economy.
