Archive: News

A hit 1944 Louis Jordan song asked, 'Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't My Baby?'  That's what the budget discussion at Monday's Board Of Education meeting sounded like as Superintendent Stephen Grimm explained the concept of 'recharacterizing' funds, essentially changing the intended purpose of district money.  Grimm said that new State mandates redefining how much money school districts have will affect the final outcome of a budget that may need as much as $1.2 million in cuts.

That volume of cuts could be less if state and federal funds come to the district.  But at this point those funds are nothing but big question marks, making it difficult for districts to know just how deep they will be forced to cut.  "We are not counting on a single penny from the federal stimulus or the deficit reduction assessment," Grimm said.  "So this is the worst case scenario."

If the district spends on the exact same things next year that they spent on this year it will cost $23,960,639.  Last year those same things cost $22,838,912.  To have the exact same things next year would cost $1,121,727 more.  That is roughly the amount the district seeks to cut.

Health insurance is going up 7%, and all benefits will be up by 9.16%.  Salaries 5.43%, instruction 5.1%, BOCES 5.33%.  State aid is anticipated to be down 3.91% and federal aid is down 10.53%.

Grimm explained the State calls this 'recharacterizing' funds, essentially changing the intended purpose of the money.  The State has issued a "New Accounting Interpretation Guide" that gives some clues as to how school spending practices may change.  By changing the rules for political reasons, it could appear that schools have more to spend than they thought, and that discrepancy could negatively affect a district's eligibility for some state aid.

So the question is what will be cut if new state and federal aid don't come to the district's rescue.  Grim presented a 'worst case scenario' list Monday that gave the first tangible clue as to what the cuts could be.

A 'reductions list' shows cuts to AIS, combining modified athletic teams, reducing 2 cleaning positions, combining staff positions, were on the list.  Eliminating the 5pm and 3pm bus runs would save the district $34,000 with an additional $17,000 saved by eliminating one bus driver.  Positions to be cut could include two middle school teacher aids, three elementary school playground aides, eight teachers, half an enrichment teacher position, two kindergarten teacher aids, one library clerk, the equivalent of one music position, a physical education position, and a special education teacher aid.

"We are not counting on a single penny from the federal stimulus or the deficit reduction assessment," Grimm said.  "So this is the worst case scenario."

Grimm says information on the budget and cuts are being communicated to employees and union presidents as of last Friday.  He acknowledged that the process is stressful, but says getting the information out as it becomes available can help engage everyone in the process.  "Whether it's a reduction of one million or a hundred thousand, if you are part of the piece that is getting reduced it's 100% of you," he said.  "At this point we're going to look at recharacterising those funds and we'll come back with a draft budget on the 23rd that will be a little more precise.  We will apply those numbers and shorten that reductions list."

'Is you is, or is you ain't money the district can spend' will be the big question as state and federal funding continues to be realigned in the face of a state budget crisis and a federal stimulus package.  Meanwhile the question for employees is is you is, or 'is you ain't working in Lansing next year?'

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