Saline schools' $70 million budget reflects drop in revenues, expenditures
The Saline school board Tuesday night approved a $70 million budget for the next school year that will require at least a temporary withdrawal from the district's fund balance or main savings account.
The account will stand at nearly $2.6 million at the end of next year after the projected withdrawal of $443,978, said Tom Wall, assistant superintendent of Saline Area Schools. That will still leave it at 5 percent of the district's operating budget. Also Tuesday night, the board approved taking $684,000 out of the savings account to make up a shortfall in this year's budget.
Wall said the district is reducing its general fund expenditures by $1 million for next year by eliminating teaching positions, mainly through retirements, and closing Houghton School. Earlier this year the district gave layoff notices to teachers, but has now been able to recall all but three.
The district's budget for next year shows $51,324,235 in revenue and $51,768,213 in expenditures. Revenue is down $750,000 from last year. Expenditures across the board are down $1.5 million, Wall said. Superintendent Scot Graden said the board intends to make up the $443,978 shortfall by June 30, 2011.
Wall said that there are several ways the board could do that, including seeking concessions from unions.
“Also there were more teachers than we expected to retire that haven’t been accounted for yet,” said Wall. Twenty positions formerly held by teachers now retiring will not be refilled, he said.
“Our staffing module is down 20 full-time equivalent and two administrator positions,” said Wall.
The instructional percentage of the budget is rising from 71.5 percent to 73.2 percent of the total budget.
“That is based on our philosophy in trying to make our cuts outside of the classroom as much as possible,” said Wall.
Part of the reason for the shortfall is a reduction in revenue from the foundation grant from the state of $165 per pupil. Fewer students also reduce revenue, he said, noting the district is projecting a 60-student decrease in enrollment, Wall said.
Comments
janet
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 7:13 a.m.
Maybe Saline should look at what every other district in the state of michigan is doing, including ann arbor. below is from todays publication. it's too bad that teachers salarys are put in front of whats right for the children of our community. Ann Arbors teachers union has agreed to concessions that will save the district $5.3 million in the next two school years in exchange for no layoffs and the promise of making that money up down the road. The agreement, which will avoid any teacher layoffs for the next school year, calls for teachers to work four unpaid days next school year, freezes step increases for most of the next two years and cuts supplemental pay next year by 5 percent.
CC Fan
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 6:33 a.m.
Am I missing something? If the budget is for $51 million, how does it become $70 million....