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| USD 416 board weighs cures for ailing budget |
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| Education - School Board | |||
| Written by Kristen Waggener | |||
| Wednesday, 11 February 2009 09:00 | |||
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The specific ways Louisburg USD 416 Board of Education members are planning to cope with anticipated current-year cuts from the state are becoming more clear after a brainstorming session Monday evening. Board members met before their regularly scheduled meeting to discuss ways they can increase revenues and cut costs to keep in line with the current year’s budget. The board began preliminarily putting possible solutions into priority tiers, with tier one marked for almost certain reduction or elimination if the state does reduce the amount of money given to the district, Superintendent Rick Doll told board members. Doll presented figures to the board, showing a range of cuts different areas of state government have proposed, which span from $56,500 proposed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to $158,000 approved by the Kansas House of Representatives. “We do not know what the cuts are going to be, but we know they are going to be significant,” Doll told board members. Though nothing has been set in stone yet, among those on the top of tier one are implementing fees for providing bus service to students who live within 2.5 miles of their school, implementing a transportation fee for students participating in activities and athletics, reducing the number of classified personnel, and eliminating the school resource officer position. BusingIt currently costs the district about $27,000 to provide the 20 bus routes in service. With state funds reimbursing the district for transporting students who live more than 2.5 miles from their school, the issue becomes whether to begin charging for bus service for students who live within the 2.5 mile boundary.District data shows 768 students are eligible for free busing because they live more than 2.5 miles away, while 541 in-city students are currently bused at no charge. Busing students cost the district $136,274 in the 2007-08 school year. Other optionsEliminating staff positions also was high on Doll’s list of possible cuts that need to be made, but he made it clear no teaching positions are being considered for the cuts.By eliminating the school resource officer position, the district could save $34,000 per year, and by not filling a position held by a maintenance worker who plans to retire, the district could save $28,500. Board members also discussed eliminating a full-time nurse’s position, which was added this year.
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