Columbia Public
Schools received numerous questions regarding the budget reduction
considerations in various formats. Please note that the Board of
Education has received all of the comments and questions that were
submitted to the school district. A summary of the frequently asked
questions is below.
Q. The district seems top-heavy. Wouldn't it be prudent for the
administration to be the first to make cuts?
A. The cuts to administration total approximately $1 million of the first
$5 million in reductions that will be made regardless of the passage of
the tax levy proposal. The administrators will be taking a pay cut
regardless of the passage of the levy. These cuts are outlined in the
budget reduction document. The cuts are also in line with the same
percentage also being reduced from other employment areas. Central
office administration budgets are also being reduced. Note specifically
items 26, 27, and 39. It is also important to note that executive
administration costs only make up 1.65 percent of the total per-pupil
cost. The remaining percentage is made up of instruction, pupil support,
building administration, transportation, security services, business
services, and maintenance.
Q. I couldn't believe that overtime pay is based on an 8-hour day
instead of a 40-hour week. Why isn't this something that was adjusted
years ago?
A. Previously, the district did base overtime on a 40-hour work week
instead of an 8-hour work day. However, this created difficulty in
recruiting custodial and maintenance employees. In order to address
these issues, the district switched to basing overtime on an 8-hour work
day. It is always difficult to recruit and maintain employees in the
building services field. It was felt this strategy would help lessen
this burden.
Q. Number 25 talks about eliminating insurance coverage for part-time
employees. If employees wanted to shift a spouse's insurance, the open
season for making the switch is usually done in November or December,
with it going into effect January 1. This does not align with the school
calendar. How would this be handled?
A. Loss of coverage would be a qualifying event, which would allow the
employee to immediately move to the spouse's coverage. He or she can
remain covered by the district as the employee through August 31
(provided he or she still works for the district) and then move
September 1 to the spouse's coverage as a dependent.
Q. In reviewing the posted budget cuts, why are most areas cutting a
support staff position if the tax levy doesn't pass, but there is no cut
of a support staff position at the administration building? How is that
being justified?
A. There are cuts in the central office employees' contracted days and
budgets. These cuts are included in Priority 1 for cuts that will be
made regardless of the passage of the levy increase. Human Resources has
also added the permanent substitutes to the possible reduction
priorities.
Q. What is the budget cut benefit for reducing 12-month support staff
days?
A. In Priority 1 (cuts that will be made regardless of whether or not the
levy passes):
- #26--A reduction of 2 days for all central office and 12-month
district administrators. This impacts 29 district leaders. There would
be two unpaid days off, resulting in a salary reduction for each
employee. These employees currently have a salary figured on a 261-day
year, so their annual compensation would be reduced to reflect a 259-day
assignment. Financial impact: $22,782
- #27--A reduction for all building-level principals and assistant
principals. There would be two unpaid days off, resulting in a salary
reduction for each employee. Financial impact: $43,340
In Priority 2 (cuts that will be made if the levy increase does not
pass):
- #65--Reducing a day of compensation for our salaried employees tied
to the salary schedule in all groupings. Financial impact: $467,726
(This item may be moved to a Priority 1 cut per the Board of Education)
- #67--This is a reduction of one day of compensation for all salaried
and hourly staff across the district who are not administrative.
Administrative cuts have already been identified in Priority 1.
Financial impact: $75,072
Yes, cutting days will leave less time to complete work and will
result in a pay cut for employees. This is noted in the
budget reduction document as part of the financial impact.
Q. Why would the district have a
waiting period for insurance for non-certified staff, but not for
certified staff?
A. Providing benefits to teachers on the first day of employment is the
norm in the education industry. Since the district recruits to bring
these professional employees to our community, this benefit is necessary
to remain competitive in obtaining the most qualified applicants.
Q. Has anyone looked at how much money
would be saved if the district hired new teachers instead of rehiring
retired teachers?
A. Making a decision to hire or not hire a teacher because of his or her
age is discriminatory. The district does realize the costs associated
with every hiring decision, and our focus is on hiring the most
qualified employee for a particular assignment. The district seeks to
hire applicants for full-time positions when possible.
Q. Why would the district even consider
looking at the new proposed salary schedule from CCTA when we have to
make budget cuts because we can't even operate at the current salary
schedule?
A. The district remains focused on attracting and retaining highly
qualified staff. Continued operation and improvement of the salary
schedule in line with appropriate compensation for a position must
always be a priority. Our current salaries in most areas are not
competitive. Additionally, note that the
budget reduction parameters include not operating the salary
schedule if new revenues are not realized.
Q. Can you tell us why the school board
doesn't sell off some of the property that you just bought and the
property that you are just sitting on?
A. Yes. The district has several properties, all of which (except the
Vemer property) will be presented to the Board of Education for
consideration of sale at its next meeting. The following are the
properties that the district will ask the Board to declare as surplus:
- Ballenger Lane and Route PP (13.42 acres)
- Providence School, 4801 Route E (1.5 acres)
- Wade School, Wade School Road (.79 acres)
- Derby Ridge School, Lot 18 Citation Drive (65' x 125' lot)
- Derby Ridge School, Lot 1 Derby Ridge (70' x 144' lot)
- Oakland Junior High School, Lot 5 (90' x 147' lot)
- Oakland Junior High School, Lot 6 (90' x 147' lot)
- Oakland Junior High School, Lot 7 (90' x 147' lot)
- Strawn School, 500 Strawn Road (4.2 acres--already declared surplus
by the Board of Education)
Q. I saw a bus picking up a little girl
from Green Meadows Road and taking her to a day care on Park Street.
This child was then picked up at the day care and taken back to the
Green Meadows address in the p.m. When did you start transporting
preschoolers to day care?
A. The Park Avenue facility houses the district's Title I preschool
program. The only time transportation is provided to a student at this
facility is if he or she is also an early childhood special education
student; thus, the student would have an individual education plan
(IEP). All of the transportation costs for these students are 100
percent reimbursed by the state.
Q. I am very concerned about the
recommendation to cut paraprofessionals at the middle schools. I feel
the school district will force parents to insist on having a
paraprofessional specified in their child's IEP, even if the child only
needs assistance occasionally. Will that mean the child will have a
paraprofessional that works with that child only? Will this decrease the
time special education children can spend "mainstreamed?"
A. We will look at the needs of every child. There are already children at
the middle school level that have IEPs that indicate the need for a
paraprofessional. Those paraprofessionals will continue to be in place
to support those children. The paraprofessionals in the reductions are
those that are in addition to the individual paraprofessionals. This
model is not implemented at any other level of the school district. It
is an excellent model, but it is not one that can continue to be
implemented as the school district must be even more efficient with the
use of resources. Every reduction mentioned on every list is a concern
to this administration and will cause discomfort to someone or to some
department. The Board of Education and administration will continue to
review the recommendations.
Q. Does the district lose money on
early release days? If so, how much?
A. Early release days do not cost the district money, as long as students
attend 174 days at a minimum of 3.5 hours for a total of 1,044 hours.
Q. Item 37 on the Priority 1 list
states that there will be a reduction of personal appliances from
classrooms and offices for utility savings. I have several lamps in my
classroom that I use instead of using the overhead lights. What are the
parameters for this reduction?
A. The problem is that most of the lamps are using 60- to 100-watt
incandescent light bulbs. A 20-watt fluorescent bulb gives equivalent
light and lasts 10 times longer. The district can still realize a
savings if the lamps use compact fluorescent bulbs. However, each
classroom should be limited to 1 to 3 lamps and should be turned off
when not being used. The overhead lights in most facilities are 2-bulb
fluorescent bulb fixtures. This fixture uses only 55 watts per fixture.
Also, the overhead lighting is providing the recommended lighting for
desk work. With the addition of new technology, we need the full
capacity of the electrical services in our facilities. Additions of
extra lamps, microwaves, refrigerators, and other electrical devices
have increased the instances of tripped circuit breakers. That tripped
breaker means we have exceeded the amount of power available. Resetting
and continuing is usually not a good idea.
Q. Has the district looked at how much
it would save to have employees keep track of actual mileage rather than
paying stipends for mileage?
A. Beginning next month, the district will be analyzing the costs
associated with reporting exact mileage vs. assigning a stipend amount
for mileage.
Q. I looked at the
school calendar for next year, and I am wondering why teachers would
be scheduled to return from winter break on Friday, January 2, when
students don't return until Monday, January 5. I would think that we
could save a considerable amount of money by not turning on the lights
and heat in all the buildings for just one day before the weekend.
A. This is a work day for teachers. This day could be used as a flex day,
and teachers really wouldn't be working that day if they had done their
work at another time. For example, there are many secondary teachers who
will want to grade finals and do grades prior to the winter break. They
may work on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, etc., before the break (when they
are not paid) and then not come back until the Monday the student
return. This day could also be reduced if a reduction of contracts of
teachers is considered by the Board of Education. If that day is taken
off, the calendar for the teacher's contract would be reduced by the
per-diem amount. The district could save approximately $8,000 if no
unnecessary utilities were used on that day. It takes approximately
$10,000 a day to operate all utilities in the district. This is with our
current reduction of utilities during holidays and breaks. Buildings
with computer control have the occupancy time reduced to one-fourth of
normal occupancy time. The amount saved is totally dependent on each
facility's desire to save energy by aggressively turning off lights and
other utilities (see reduction item 37).
