The Past:

 

MMSD Budget Cuts Since Enactment of State Revenue Cap in 1993

1993-2007 Totals

FTE Positions cut: 614.87 — Amount: $52,355,296

20 Administrators cut from operating funds since 2000

 

Examples of cuts

2001-2: 4-year-old elementary program, 5 elementary teachers, workshops and conferences

2002-3: assistant superintendent, 8 clerical, increase SAGE* class size

2003-4: staff development, moratorium on purchase of elementary learning materials

2004-5: 20 elementary positions,13 custodians, 2 Talented and Gifted teachers, increased athletic fees

2005-6: 8 custodians, 16 middle school teachers, Ready/Set/Go conferences

2006-7: eliminated 4th grade strings, 18 clerical positions, increased textbook and activity fees, 23 teachers

 

 

The Present:

 

2007-8 Major Cuts

 

1. Eliminated SAGE/reduced class sizes in 7 schools (Chavez,
Franklin/Randall, Shorewood, Crestwood, Lapham, Marquette)
2. Increased class sizes from 15 to 23 for art, music and gym at SAGE* schools
3. Increased Lincoln 4/5 classes to 25:1

4. Increase staffing levels at both middle and high by .25 (class size increase)
5. Cut half of Athletic Directors - each covers 2 high schools.
6. Special education cut by $2.1 million
7. Eliminated yellow busing for private schools and Spring Harbor and Wright
8. Moved alternative programs into Lapham and Marquette.
9. Reduced allocations for psychologists, social workers, reading specialist and English Language Learning.

 

The Future:

 

Cuts considered this budget, but not made--these will be back

1.       Athletics/Extra Curricular - Reduce number of sports (hockey, golf, wrestling) and club activities ($500,000)

2.       Close Schools - Lapham, Marquette, Lindbergh, Sherman and others considered ($1,000,000+)

3.       Further cuts to staff ratios - classroom teachers, Special Education, ESL

4.       Facilities - Reduce custodial/trades ($500,000+) and maintenance ($500,000)

5.       Reduce administrative staffing ($200,000)

6.       Cut services - printing, transportation, grant writers, technology (1,000,000+)

7.       Reduce psychologists (up to $2,000,000)

8.       Reduce social workers (up to $2,500,000)

9.       Reduce nurses (up to $1,000,000)

10.   Cut learning coordinators, planners and professional development ($1,000,000+)

11.   Decrease instructional materials and equipment by 20% ($570,000)

12.   Eliminate programs - Stress Challenge, Alternatives, Strings, Environmental Education (up to $3,800,000)

 

…within 3 years, making all of these cuts will likely not be enough to fill the gap caused by revenue caps

 

*SAGE is the state program which provides funds to reduce class size to 15 to 1 for schools that serve a concentration of low-income students.