Durango School District 9-R officials are asking for the public’s help to close a $1.6 million budget deficit projected for next year.
About 30 participants gathered Thursday at Escalante Middle School for an exercise designed to find items they think could be cut to bring the budget into balance. It was the fourth session to be held around the district.
They were asked to rank a dozen categories of expenditures according to importance. The list included student achievement, salaries and benefits, upgrading technology, transportation, campus security, low class size, professional development for teachers and innovative programs.
Administrators and district board members will use the findings to fashion the 2014-15 budget, which will kick in July 1. This year’s budget is $37 million, down from $42 million in 2009.
The drop in revenue comes despite the approval by voters in 2010 of a mill levy that raises $3.2 million annually.
The precipitous loss of income results from a loss of $4.5 million in basic state funding since 2010. District Superintendent Dan Snowberger said the district has dipped into reserves for two years.
Reserves, the district’s savings account, now stand at 15 percent of the total budget, a level that board trustees consider a minimum, Snowberger said.
“This is a challenge,” Snowberger said Thursday. “It won’t be easy to make cuts.”
Budget builders, Snowberger said, face a pair of unknowns, namely, whether state legislators will release $1.5 billion earmarked for education and whether the 9-R share – $232 per student that translates to $1 million – will come through.
The district currently receives $4,325 per pupil from the state.
Feedback from the third budget study session Dec. 9 showed participants favored providing classroom help for struggling students at all levels, maintaining art, music and physical education for all students and increasing access to technology.
Among issues discussed Thursday that fit into the dozen broader fields:
The Farm to School program that provides local vegetables and meat for school lunches but costs $200,000 annually.
The usefulness of the district’s outlying schools, which have smaller enrollments so consequently are less efficient.
Transportation to and from school and field trips. The district this year will receive $292,000 from the state, but will spend $1.2 million on transportation.
Campus security. What level is required or desired?
SchoolVault, a computerized system being developed by administrators and faculty that allow teachers to judge the efficiency of what they teach. All the bugs have not been ironed out.
Sports. Why offer them? What benefits do they provide? What about sports with little participation?
Professional development programs for teachers.
Anyone who has suggestions for plugging the budget gap can reach district officials at durangoschools.org/survey, dsnowberger@durango.k12.co.us or info@durango.k12.co.us.
daler@durangolherald.com
