At the Dec. 16 meeting, the Rockwood Board of Education discussed the budget cuts for the 2010 fiscal year (FY12). They made some changes and deletions to the proposed budget cuts in Option One and Option Two and included these two options in their direction to district administration.
A design team had created the proposed cost reductions, or ideas for budget cuts, and organized it by overall priority. These cuts were put into four options, and each option built upon the other. So if Option Three was chosen, it would include all cuts put in Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.
For the original plan, Option One consisted of 24 cuts, Option Two added to that for a total of 37 cuts, Option Three had a total of 40 cuts, and Option Four included all the cuts, a total of 44.
For Option One, the Board changed the third proposition from reducing administrator salary increases from three percent to one and a half percent to freezing administrator salaries. At the meeting, Rockwood superintendent Bruce Borchers requested to the Board that they do the same to his salary as they decide to do to administrators’ salaries.
The Board also changed the 23 proposition, which was originally reducing support staff increases from three percent to two and a half percent, applying to staff not covered by existing negotiated agreements. This has been changed to freeze salaries for support staff that are not covered by existing negotiated agreements.
For Option Two, the Board made three changes to the proposed budget cost reductions. The first change was to the 30 proposition. Originally, it was to eliminate middle school literary coaches, but because many people saw this as an important program to help struggling readers, it was decided that it would be changed to reduce middle school staffing points by six.
The 31 through 34 propositions planned a way to reduce high school points by eight, and suggested eliminating high school hall monitors, in-school suspension (ISS) teachers, and study hall teachers. Instead, the Board decided to have administrators and the RNEA collaborate to choose the staffing cuts.
The 37 propostion, which suggested removing Special School District (SSD) Phase 2 students from the elementary staffing model, was removed from Option Two.
After budget cuts, the other part of balancing the budget involves revenue generation. For this the Board provided direction on an increase in full-day kindergarten tuition, an increase in high school parking fees, and an increase in the admission price for high school sports.
According to the Rockwood website, full-day kindergarten tuition would be raised from $3,450 to $3,625. Parking fees would be increased to $180 and admission prices would raise from $3 to $5.
With the combination of these cuts, revenue generators, and fund balance transfers, Rockwood has achieved a balanced budget for FY12.
The cost reductions, Options One and Two, are expected to save the district $5,342,660. Proposed revenue generators should give Rockwood an extra $440,000. Fund balance transfers are expected to save $2,092,930 for the FY12 budget. This totals a proposed savings of $7,875,590.
However, this is only savings for FY12, and Rockwood is expected to need more revenue generation or budget cuts in the coming years.
The Board asked for more information from the design team on the discussions of eliminating senior incentive, instituting fees to participate in Missouri State High School Athletic Association (MSHSAA) sponsored sports, charging for bus ridership for homes within three and a half miles of the school, and a ballot referendum for a tax rate increase.
With the new information, the Board is expected to make a decision about whether these are viable and effective options for more revenue generation.
For a more in-depth look at the proposed budget cuts in each option and the revenue generation suggestions, documents used during the Dec. 16 Board of Education Meeting can be seen here: http://www.boarddocs.com/mo/rsdpa/Board.nsf/Public
