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ASPEN — The Aspen School Board will take its first crack Monday at a 2010-11 budget that proposes nearly $1 million in cuts — a reflection of both state funding reductions and rising costs.
The Aspen School District fared well, compared to most districts in Colorado, when it came to state funding, because it didn't receive much to begin with. Most of the state's 178 school districts will see a 6.4 percent drop in state equalization aid, but the Aspen district didn't receive enough of those funds to cut its allocation by that amount.
The state did pull back nearly $500,000 in funding, though — $158,000 in equalization aid that the local district was allotted for 2009-10 (but wound up not receiving) plus $325,000 in “categorical funds” that the district did receive this year. Those dollars went toward such items as transportation, special education, and the English-language learner and gifted-and-talented programs.
Most districts did not lose categorical funding, but the Aspen district, which relies mostly on local property taxes to support its budget, didn't have enough equalization aid to satisfy the state's budget cutting, so it lost the categorical money, explained Kate Fuentes, district finance director.
Still, the draft budget proposes cutting only about three full-time positions, including one that is specifically related to the state funding cuts, she said.
Many districts in the state that rely more heavily on state dollars are facing more drastic reductions. The proposed budget for Eagle County public schools shaves $3.3 million in operating expenses for the 2010-11 school year and reflects 50 fewer staff positions, according to a report in the Vail Daily. A teacher wage freeze is also in place there.
In Aspen, the school board will take up a $22.7 million operating budget that includes a wage freeze for teachers but maintains advances on the salary scale that come with tenure or additional education. Two teacher furlough days (one that impacts students) are proposed to offset the cost of maintaining the salary schedule as it relates to tenure, Fuentes said.
The budget also reflects an anticipated $121,000 in increased health insurance costs, a 2 percent pay hike for support staff and transportation employees, and about $100,000 in additional retirement fund costs. To absorb those costs, cuts are necessary.
The details on how the district will achieve the nearly $1 million in reductions will be the focus of Monday's discussion, Fuentes said. Administrators have already hinted at some possibilities in previous discussions. Everything from fee hikes to allowing sponsorships and dropping programs that don't have sufficient participation have been discussed. Allocating funds from a transportation and technology mill levy approved by voters in 2008 to make up some of the shortfall has also been suggested.
The focus has been on adjustments that don't impact the classroom.
“There are some things that I want to have more conversation on,” Fuentes said. “Some of the things in the budget are not necessarily done deals.
“It's all up for discussion. The board has the ultimate decision.”
The board meets at 4 p.m. Monday in the board meeting room; the budget discussion is expected to begin at about 5 p.m.
At the Aspen Community School, a K-8 charter school in Woody Creek, administrators have been bracing for a drop of $50,000 to $80,000 in state funding, according to Principal Jim Gilchrist. A wage freeze will be in effect for the 2010-11 school year, but no layoffs are planned, he said.
janet@aspentimes.com
The Aspen School District fared well, compared to most districts in Colorado, when it came to state funding, because it didn't receive much to begin with. Most of the state's 178 school districts will see a 6.4 percent drop in state equalization aid, but the Aspen district didn't receive enough of those funds to cut its allocation by that amount.
The state did pull back nearly $500,000 in funding, though — $158,000 in equalization aid that the local district was allotted for 2009-10 (but wound up not receiving) plus $325,000 in “categorical funds” that the district did receive this year. Those dollars went toward such items as transportation, special education, and the English-language learner and gifted-and-talented programs.
Most districts did not lose categorical funding, but the Aspen district, which relies mostly on local property taxes to support its budget, didn't have enough equalization aid to satisfy the state's budget cutting, so it lost the categorical money, explained Kate Fuentes, district finance director.
Still, the draft budget proposes cutting only about three full-time positions, including one that is specifically related to the state funding cuts, she said.
Many districts in the state that rely more heavily on state dollars are facing more drastic reductions. The proposed budget for Eagle County public schools shaves $3.3 million in operating expenses for the 2010-11 school year and reflects 50 fewer staff positions, according to a report in the Vail Daily. A teacher wage freeze is also in place there.
In Aspen, the school board will take up a $22.7 million operating budget that includes a wage freeze for teachers but maintains advances on the salary scale that come with tenure or additional education. Two teacher furlough days (one that impacts students) are proposed to offset the cost of maintaining the salary schedule as it relates to tenure, Fuentes said.
The budget also reflects an anticipated $121,000 in increased health insurance costs, a 2 percent pay hike for support staff and transportation employees, and about $100,000 in additional retirement fund costs. To absorb those costs, cuts are necessary.
The details on how the district will achieve the nearly $1 million in reductions will be the focus of Monday's discussion, Fuentes said. Administrators have already hinted at some possibilities in previous discussions. Everything from fee hikes to allowing sponsorships and dropping programs that don't have sufficient participation have been discussed. Allocating funds from a transportation and technology mill levy approved by voters in 2008 to make up some of the shortfall has also been suggested.
The focus has been on adjustments that don't impact the classroom.
“There are some things that I want to have more conversation on,” Fuentes said. “Some of the things in the budget are not necessarily done deals.
“It's all up for discussion. The board has the ultimate decision.”
The board meets at 4 p.m. Monday in the board meeting room; the budget discussion is expected to begin at about 5 p.m.
At the Aspen Community School, a K-8 charter school in Woody Creek, administrators have been bracing for a drop of $50,000 to $80,000 in state funding, according to Principal Jim Gilchrist. A wage freeze will be in effect for the 2010-11 school year, but no layoffs are planned, he said.
janet@aspentimes.com
