Tightening The BeltPig With Belt

With the loss of $3.7 million in funding from the State of Kansas since January 2009, USD 261 is implementing additional cost-cutting actions for the remainder of the 2009-2010 fiscal year (through June 30, 2010). The actions will be effective immediately. Pending the outcome of the current Kansas Legislative Session, further reductions and elimination of services may be necessary.

 

 

USD 261 Budget Considerations

Recommendations for Remainder of the Fiscal Year
  Staff Reduction/Staff Cost-Reduction Strategies:
 
  • Institute Hiring Freeze (no added staff and no replacement of staff until examined on case by case basis and agreed to by administrative agreement)
 
  • Do not use substitutes for positions that are not essential for classroom instruction (includes paras, clerical, custodial, library, etc.)
   
  Programmatic Changes/Efficiencies:
 
  • Continue to admit out of district students (Will help increase enrollment for next school year)
 
  • Delay scheduled upgrades of district technology (any upgrades will be determined by cash balances at the end of the fiscal year)
 
  • Eliminate after school programs funded with district funds
 
  • Eliminate ink-jet and laser printers in individual classrooms and network to building level copiers
 
  • No district support for purchase of student agendas, portfolios, etc.
 
  • Eliminate summer school programs/efforts not funded with federal $ or paid entirely by user fees (includes DE, athletic camps, summer school)
 
  • Use Education Foundation funds to supplement student national travel rather than district funds
 
  • Eliminate national travel, overnight travel, workshops beyond 100 mile radius of Haysville (includes staff, BOE, & students). Note: Any exceptions must be cleared through district administration
 
  • No expense reimbursement for meals/mileage on one day workshops/meetings. Will provide district vehicle if available
 
  • Freeze purchase of any new library materials
 
  • Eliminate Field Trips unless approved by building administrator and district administration – must be within 100 mile radius of Haysville if approved
 
  • Institute electronic only publication of all district and building newsletter and other publications unless parents/patrons ask for paper copy, and then provided only by district copiers.
 
  • Freeze purchase of new athletic uniforms and cheerleading uniforms at all levels
  Eliminate district paid meals, snacks, and beverages at all district/building meetings.
   
 
    Operations and Maintenance:
 
  • Defer maintenance, repairs and improvements to buildings and equipment unless essential and approved by district administration
 
  • Do not sub for custodians or maintenance personnel – restrict cleaning in such cases to “common” areas and expect teachers/students to clean/maintain classroom areas
 

  • Tighten the “occupied schedule for HVAC (lengthen amt. of time that AC and heat systems will operate on setback mode.
 
  • Reduce trash pick-up services by 50% if possible
 
  • Eliminate use of Cintas service for disposal and pick-up of sensitive materials
 
  • Reduce lighting in common areas where possible
 
  • Consider standard minimum rental charge for any use of district facilities beyond the school day
 
  • Freeze purchase of any new vehicles or equipment
 
  • Sharing of resources (Have a clean out the closet day and share unused resources with all instead of hoarding)
 
  • Eliminate all OT except for emergencies approved by district administration
 
  • Eliminate all space heaters, compact refrigerators and microwaves from personal classrooms/offices or charge for use ( $100 per space heater; $40 per compact refrigerator; $10 per microwave)
   
  Finance/Other:
 
  • Reduce cash reserves including contingency fund and unencumbered cash balances (will impact level of cuts in programs/personnel to be made in future year(s)
 
  • Use remaining “one-time” facility weighting money to help prevent deeper cuts in personnel/programs
 
  • Reduce marketing and communication costs wherever possible.
 
  • Decrease activity/athletic budgets at high school and middle schools
 
  • Reduce athletic/activity transportation by using fewer vehicles to transport teams, cheerleaders, coaches, etc.
 
  • Decrease all site budgets by 10%
 
  • Do all that is possible to conserve district funds in whatever ways are humanly possible through conservation and consideration
   
   

 


Note: These actions are taken with the intent of not cutting positions or reducing salaries for the remainder of this fiscal year. Then, depending on where we end the fiscal year and what financing we are looking at for next year, decisions will be made from a prioritized list on cut/reductions in positions and programs for next school year.