Deep School Budget Cuts Possible

At a public forum on the proposed $29.6 million school budget for 2012-13, Ledyard schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Graner used the word “horrendous” to describe a list of recommended cuts that he will present to the Board of Education tonight – cuts totaling $1,141,714.

And Graner said even deeper cuts are possible if taxpayers are unwilling to accept a small tax increase for the sake of maintaining the quality of education in Ledyard schools.

The cuts include $661,225 in personnel costs, which Graner has said could translate to as many as nine positions, including seven teachers. The cuts are required in order to present a zero-increase budget to voters for the coming year.

Even with the same bottom line, however, the town would still need to raise an additional $703,430 to cover a one-time grant that was applied to the current budget. Further cuts totaling the amount of the grant are possible, Graner said.

On Tuesday, Graner declined to discuss specific cuts before school board members have had a chance to weigh in. But responding to a parent’s question, he confirmed that fifth- and sixth-grade instrumental instruction is among the possible cuts. An after-school enrichment program could replace it, but Graner said it would only provide “a fraction” of what music students receive now.

“Everyone has an opinion about what could be cut, including my wife, who disagrees with some of the cuts I will recommend to the board,” Graner said. “I’ve tried to bring some equity to this. When you’re cutting seven figures, you’re not going to make everyone happy, that’s for sure.”

Graner’s recommended cuts will be presented at a work session at 8:15 tonight, following the school board’s regular 7 p.m. meeting in the high school media center. Graner said the list of cuts will be posted on the school district’s website by Thursday morning.

The public will not have a chance to comment at tonight’s work session, but a second budget forum has been scheduled for next Tuesday at 7 p.m. Graner recommended that residents attend again next Tuesday, and bring a neighbor.

“To me, the rock solid feature of Ledyard Schools is about 20 students per class, not 29 students,” said Graner, who said he also is concerned with the possible elimination of programs, such as elementary school tutors, fifth- and sixth-instrumental instruction and Project Oceanology.

“The cuts that I will present tomorrow are horrendous, but I don’t want to see where we’re going if we have to cut more,” Graner said.