District 158 Tasked With Tough Budget Decisions

The District 158 school board has been tasked with making some tough decisions regarding budget cuts that have them grappling over what’s more important to a child’s education: Cutting staff or upgrading technology.

The district’s Committee of a Whole met on Thursday where Chief Financial Officer Mark Altamayer outlined the following possible cuts as the district faces a $6.4 million deficit for fiscal year 2012:

• $1 million of improvements to Academic Drive
• $1 million to replace outdated technology such as computers
• $400,000 to adopt textbooks for literacy program
• $382,099 for various building projects
• $659,250 for new employee hiring based on enrollment.

School officials said keeping the expenditures could result in the need to cut staff members, which could increase classroom sizes. Superintendent John Burkey said the board could consider cuts to non-teaching staff to save money as well.

The board is scheduled to meet again on March 3.

Refinancing Marlowe Middle School Debt

The list also includes a $2 million payment for 2007 debt certificates.

The original debt certificates, totaling $4.9 million, were used to fund part of the Marlowe Middle School addition, buy buses and copiers. In January 2012, a balloon operating expense payment of $2.7 million is due, Altmayer told the board.

Board members discussed the possibility of refinancing that debt, in light of current low interest rates, which could decrease that expense to approximately $200,000 for fiscal year 2012.

Dealing With Aged Infrastructure, Slow Computers

Academic Drive, which originally was designed for emergency use only, is suffering from noticeable cracks and deterioration because of high traffic use.

The $1 million project, which could be on the chopping block, includes the installation of a storm water management infrastructure and a deeper base foundation. Board members will consider whether to postpone the project and fill cracks and patches where needed.

In terms of computers, Altmayer said teachers and students are dealing with slow computers and increased down time in computer labs. The district slashed the technology budget by $425,000 in Fiscal Year 2010 and by $600,000 for 2011. 

Of the district’s 925 personal computers, 492 are more than six years old. Another 208 PCs are five years old, and the remaining 225 are four years old, according to the budget report. Of the district’s 246 laptop computers, 219 are more than six years old.

Jason Emricson, director of information technology for District 158, said the district needs to consider investing in its aging infrastructure.

"Right now, the teachers have the older computers," Emricson said. "What's hurting us now is that the foundation we have is crumbling. We put money into the labs, but not into the infrastructure."

Tough Decisions: Board Weighs Its Options

School board member Michael Skala said he thinks the district needs to invest in updated technology for the classrooms, even if it comes at the risk of reducing staff.

As a volunteer in the school computer lab, he said many of the computers shut down and were so slow it was difficult to even use them.

“We as a district have to be the best we can be,” Skala said. “The best we can be is not having technology that is so old and slow that the staff isn’t even using it.”

While most board members and administrators agreed, Board President Kevin Gentry pointed out that any expenditure on the list that isn’t cut will require the district to cut elsewhere.

 “Anything that survives on this $6.4 million list is going to be taken out of the classroom,” Gentry said. “It’s a trade off with programs and bodies.”

Board member Aileen Seedorf suggested the committee was missing the point.

“If there’s no money, there’s no money, “ Seedorf said. “All of this is gravy, and we don’t have any gravy.”