School Board Considers Staffing Cuts

Hatboro-Horsham school district officials had looked to “increase the rigor” in terms of graduation credits for its seniors. Now, facing budget constraints, officials are wondering if less could really mean more. 

As the district considers and creative class scheduling to scale back the need for staff, reducing the number of graduation credits is something officials are also considering as an added cost-cutting measure.

Prior to 2008, seniors needed 24 credits to graduate. In 2008, that number was upped to 25, raised to 27 the following year and has remained at 29 since 2010.

District officials say those credits exceed the state minimum of 21 needed to graduate. Based on data presented during Monday night’s school board meeting, Hatboro-Horsham ranks fourth in the number of graduation credits required as compared to 22 other highs schools throughout Bucks and Montgomery counties.

“We’re right at the top in requirements for our students,” Superintendent Curtis Griffin said. “The state sets the minimum. School districts choose to set the maximum.”

Unlike enrollment – which Griffin said is down district-wide by more than 13 percent – the district controls graduation credits.

As such, Griffin said the school board could opt to “lift them up, or reduce them along the way.”

“Less credits, less classes, less staff,” Griffin said of how fewer credits equate to a staff reduction.

No action was taken following the more than hour-long presentation. It was not clear if and when the school board would consider scaling back graduation credits and when that might take effect.

During the lengthy presentation, administrators shared their staffing plans at each of the five elementary schools, middle school and the high school levels. Staff reductions or reallocations are envisioned for many areas. However, the board did not act on this either. Griffin said the process would continue to evolve and be finalized in October.  

As presented, Hatboro-Horsham High School had the most dramatic shifts in staffing, with “highly probable” reductions in science (.67); business computer science (1); health/physical education (.5); social studies (1); and art (.5). “Possible” reductions include family consumer science (.5); English (1); and math (1).

Administrators recommended adding a Spanish teacher (.33); and a French teacher (.67).

For the 2012-2013 school year, 21 courses, including AP American History and AP Spanish have been cancelled. The highest enrollment for any of those classes is 11 students, according to data presented. 

“Forty percent of the high school caseload is determined by self-selection,” John Zuk, Hatboro-Horsham High School assistant principal for curriculum and instruction said. He added that administrators “allow students to choose courses of study that they want to explore.”

At , Principal Jonathan Kircher recommended a reduction in physical education (.5); and technology education (1).

At the elementary level, is projected to need one more kindergarten class next year, while will need one less. is expected to need one less fifth-grade class, while Simmons is projected to see one less class in all grades with the exception of third- and fourth-grades.

Assistant Superintendent Monica Taylor said the projection is a staff reduction in art at the elementary schools (.5).

Based on a chart Griffin presented, staffing reached a high of 420.5 during the 2007-2008 school year. Griffin noted that the number is “not people,” but rather full-time equivalencies. Staffing represents 395 for the current school year and is projected to dip to 389 for 2012-2013, according to the chart.

“At the end of the day while we’re downing positions we’re hoping to do it through some type of attrition process,” Griffin said.

When possible, teachers would be reallocated, before being demoted or furloughed, he said.

In terms of special education staffing, projections that Kimberly Myers, the district’s director of special education presented show a reduction of three positions in one area and an addition of three in other area. The elementary level would see the “biggest impact,” she said.

Several years ago, Griffin said the district opted to bring autistic children back into the district, saving Hatboro-Horsham up to $80,000 per student, he said. As those children age and move onto the middle school and high school levels, additional teachers will be needed, officials said.

“We need to provide a significant amount of support with where we’re going with autism,” Griffin said.