Juneau’s schools face $1.75 million in cuts in the upcoming district budget, which eliminates the drug testing for program for student athletes and includes a formula that allows for some larger class sizes in the upper grades.
Juneau School District Superintendent Glenn Gelbrich answered questions from the district’s budget committee on his 2013-2014 preliminary budget Tuesday night.
He read down a long list of cuts to staff and program funding.
One impact is the Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR), which bumps up a half a student to 28.75 students per classroom in the high schools and to 24.5 in the middle schools.
“No one is suggesting this is the preferred way,” Gelbrich said. “This does have the effect that there might be an additional student in some classes. And it’s true that it does make some classes large.”
There are limits to how many kids the district can put in a class, Gelbrich said.
“What happens inside that classroom is more important than how many kids are in there,” Gelbrich said. “To a point. To a point.”
This change allows JSD to hire one less teacher at the high level and one less at the middle school level, said JSD spokesperson Kristin Bartlett.
Athlete drug testing also ended up on the chopping block. The decision was based more on time than money.
“While the dollar amount isn’t very big but we’ve reduced our support staff,” Gelbrich said. “This is really about occupying time.”
JSD’s administration wasn’t spared by the red pen.
The administrative budget eliminates two of the full-time high school administrative positions. One at each school would drop to a 10-month contract.
The budget again excludes funding for a second auditorium manager. The fiscal year 2013 budget was bolstered for one year by the City and Borough of Juneau to employ two auditorium managers. It won’t happen again in the fiscal year 2014, budget Gelbrich said.
“They are professionals. One of them will be left to manage the two [schools],” Gelbrich said “This won’t be easy.”
The district is able to hire an additional teacher to handle increased enrollment numbers.
The JSD Budget Committee will continue to deliberate over the budget through the end of February. The committee will make its recommendation to the Board of Education on March 5.
Gelbrich said Juneau schools should not expect to be saved by funds from the State Legislature.
“If they give us money I'd be surprised if that money was for anything other than a very specific project," Gelbrich said.
For more information visit www.juneauschools.org/district/administrative_services/our_budget or click on the FY 14 budget link on the “Hot Topics” box on the district’s website.
• Contact reporter Russell Stigall at 523-2276 or at russell.stigall@juneauempire.com.
Comments (39)
Add commentAnd let me guess chief?
Nice to see that there is someone out there scrutinizing the numbers of the school budget. Unfortunately, which is often the case, no mention is made about tough decisions and cuts being made at the "glass palace". The school system is no different than any other bureaucratic money sucking entity. Funds are reduced or eliminated at the ground level so that those upper level staffers may continue to enjoy the lucrative salaries and the other luxury's they have grown accustomed to.
Eliminate?
"The administrative budget eliminates two of the full-time high school administrative positions. One at each school would drop to a 10-month contract."
Sounds like 2 people get 2 months off. Isn't school out for 3 months? Mighty deep cuts in the administration there, Glenn! Sure you can manage without those two for two whole months? Auditorium manager? Ouch! Athletic drug testing? Oh, no! Not athletic drug testing! Now all the jocks will just go to pot! They are the highest at risk group for drug abuse!
(Yawn) No news here. Once again JSD lives up to our expectations. The best cut I could recommend is Glenn Gelbrich.
late start for high school
The late start for HS kids costs hundreds of thousands in extra bus fees.
Its a no-brainer to make the HS kids start at 8 am again and let the little elementary kids catch the bus when it is light out.
Response to Jack Smith
Actually, Mr. Smith, the bussing contract is on a per bus basis. Each bus has multiple routes, from elementary school to high school. The staggered start times reduce overall bus costs. The "driver" of the cost train happens to be elementary schools, no matter their start times, because there are more elementary schools and they are bussed from 1/2 a mile from their boundary school.
A reduction in bus costs would happen if two elementary schools started later than the others, reducing the number of actual buses needed by 2.
More information on busing and it's costs are available at the district's budget website,
http://www.juneauschools.org/district/administrative_services/our_budget
The document "Frequently asked Questions and Information" has bus information on page 9.
Since it is frequently brought up, the cost of providing busing to area high schoolers to the school of their choice is $34,000 (per the above mentioned document). Please note, busing is a seperate fund from the general fund, the state provides these transporation funds.
Auditorium Managers
I'm sorry to hear the auditorium manager position is on the block again. Both these guys seem full-time busy and do a lot of great work with the kids teaching them aspects of technical theatre. I think the kids will lose out from this cut more than it appears on the surface.
Hope...
Perhaps the Budget Committee will make some rec's that WILL make sense... I'm hopeful, as I personally know several of the members on this committee. Hopefully, the ideas they come up with will be listened to and acted on... If not, I would be seeking employment elsewhere if I were Glenn. Good leaders listen, GREAT leaders listen and act.
@slallison
It might be a "a seperate fund from the general fund"...
But it's still public money and there is no exuse to waste it. All to often people will say 'It's state money' or ' the Fed's are paying for it'...... as though that somehow makes waste or abuse exusable.
skirkz
The way I read this: "The administrative budget eliminates two of the full-time high school administrative positions. One at each school would drop to a 10-month contract." - It sounds like these are 2 separate items. ie; The administrative budget eliminates two of the full-time high school administrative positions. -AND- One at each school would drop to a 10-month contract."
Sounds to me like 2 are eliminated completely and one at each school is dropped to a 10 month contract.
Administrative cuts
Maybe they should look at the incomes of the administrators, and their direct impact on students and rethink where the cuts should come from. There are so many other possible solutions. But of course "they" are the ones making the decisions.
Nurses vs Auditorium Managers...
Last I was aware of, both JD and TM have only 1 nurse between them... Yet, as I understand it... both JD and TM have an Auditorium Manager (AM) (full time?) wow. I like to see and hear a great show too, though I do wonder how much these AM's make a year?? Having personally observed one of the AM's recently, I was impressed w/the show and more importantly - the teaching and interacting w/the students on the mix board and computer light show.
Perhaps it's time to be transparent with a line by line description of where ALL the monies JSD spends? Even in Juneau... technology is available to have conferences - without expensive TRAVEL! No one likes to hear this (that travels). I can't even begin to imagine the amount JSD spends on travel annually. For what?? You can sell anyone a twinkie..... but if that twinkie is poop-filled, it's poop filled.
Cuts
The later HS start doesn't affect costs at all.
Having TWO high schools affects costs a great deal.
Why don't they look at the travel budget for sports?
Where is a list of all the JSD employees and what they do? Do they even KNOW how many people work there?
PFD $$...
For a state that pays out monies EVERY year to its citizens as a "thank you" for oil exploration/industry, imagine if as a state we mandated $2-$5 out of each PFD to help with education. I think folks will still be able to buy the latest 3d TV... I know this will never happen, especially when a pack of smokes are near $10!
Loss of Curriculum & Public Use
Heard that 2 fine arts credit classes will be dropped from the curriculum if 1 auditorium manager position is cut. Also understand that non-profit groups will no longer have equal access to the auditoriums. Seems that the arts are always the 1st to be cut...
juneoboy, not compel but allow
PFD$$ is right juneoboy but not compel people, i.e. TAX but allow people to give. In fact, I think every child should be encouraged to Pick, Click, and Give to the school they are attending. Of course anyone could give any portion or the entire PFD to the public school of their choice and in an ideal world, those funds would not be counted against spending caps.
@ AH HA
Ah Ha,
I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I'm not being cavalier about the use of transportation funds, I was pointing out that the transporation funds are a seperate revenue and expenditures stream. As it happens, the transportation fund has a projected ending fund balance for FY14 of $188,000. During FY13's budget discussions, Becca Braun asked if the balance could be transferred to the general fund. The response from the district is this:
"Question: Can pupil transportation funds be used to offset operating fund deficits?
Answer: In theory, yes. However, the Department of Education & Early Development has expressed concern in previous years
about the District doing this because it has the potential to upset the calculation of equitable expenditures among all Alaskan districts
thereby adversely affecting potential federal revenues to the State."
From page 39 of the document I mentioned in my previous post.
Auditorium Managers
During FY13 (what is happening right now) the JSD cut one auditorium manager, that position was picked up "outside the cap" by the CBJ, with the understanding that it was a one-time expenditure.
With the presentation of the FY14 budget last night, the focus was on maintaining teacher instruction as much as possible; thus the decision to maintain the cut in auditorium mangers.
juneo
Pick click give
ENGAGE...
Think what it might be like if even a 1/4 of the folks who take the time to write comments followed it up with showing up and being engaged at School Boad meetings or Site Council meetings... I can tell you the School Board does not even recognize emails as a forum of communications... If you want your concerns to really be heard, you need to put them in black and white and or, show up at School Board/Site Council meetings.
Anyone can bicker/complain and say how things "should" be done... If you are truly passionate about this stuff, walk your talk! Yes, I do attend both School Board and SC meetings. For a community who appears to be very concerned about the proposed budget cuts, I welcome you to share your concerns in black and white documnetation or show up to any of the School Board or Site Council meetings (monthly).
Pick Click Give.......
I know about Pick/Click/Give... I'm talking about making it NOT an option. Not many states shell out a check each year to its residents. In fact, not many states are even close to being in the black... I'm simply saying instead of getting a gift from the state in the amount of $1,050 it would be $1,045. $5 would be deducted for education. If this years PFD is $967 then you would get $962. That's a small price to pay to not go through the school budget drama EVERY year.
It's just an idea (an old one at that). Some do give to Pick/Click/Give, though BIG monies could be seen if it wasn't an option. Is that 5 bucks (that's a gift) really going to make/break you?
Cut some testing
I, too, am unclear regarding the 2 HS admin positions cut. Since there is only one principal and one assistant principal at JD and TM, what does this cut mean, and why would there be less admin at the HS level than the MS level? It's easy to talk about admin cuts, but HS admin have numerous responsibilities beyond the school day - are you aware that all sports events and some activities must have an admin-type person in attendance? Could the district look at cutting some of the excessive testing it now requires, at least at the HS level? The state testing (SBAs) at the freshman level and the exit exam (HSGQE) at the sophomore level impact three days of instructional time each year. Keep those. That should be enough testing. Eliminate MAPS testing - there are some concerns as to its validity, it has three parts, and it's administered three times a year. Get rid of it - it's lost instructional time!
@Junoboy...
I don't know about you but I know for certain that beween property tax and sales tax CBJ has already gotten more than 7000 from me alone this year.
Why isn't that enough?
Where is
the pick, click, give box for unfunded liability. How about a box for that because teachers, aides, nurses, and administrators are worth receiving our charity.
$19,000+ per kid per year
We are compelled to spend enough, and in many peoples' opinion an ABSURD amount per child per year, and it does not even include debt service.
Money is not the problems junoboy, a lack of focus on classroom education is.
Lets build a new ice rink?
Budget cuts? Nah lets build a new ice rink instead... Come on Juneau... Get it together!
Share your opinion on JSD...
The Juneau School District invites you to participate in a focus group as a part of an Organizational Assessment being conducted by an independent third party consultant during the week of February 4 - 8, 2013.
Focus Group for Parents, Guardians & Community Members
Monday, February 4
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Bill Ray Center, Room 110
links to budget proposal
http://www.juneauschools.org/uploads/0/district/administrative_services/...
http://www.juneauschools.org/uploads/0/district/administrative_services/...
JNUKara
To me it reads that one full time administrative position in each highschool to be replaced with one part time position at each highschool, each with a 10 month contract as opposed to 12 month contracts. So they shaved 4 months of high end salary for one year. Drug testing athletes is a waste. How many hrs a week are auditoriums used? Use can be coordinated with the users. Certainly there are teachers in charge of activities in the auditoriums. Don't the students have A/V Clubs? (I taped some of the gymnastics at our highschool.) Don't get me wrong. Cuts are cuts. But, this is a shuck and jive. A tap-dance to shuffle around the meatier cuts needed to get the district's house in order.
PFD
So you want everyone to have $5 taken out of the PFD But I don't have kids. So how is this not a tax?? If you let them start taking bites out of the PFD you are opening up a BIG can of worms. Than it would be just $2 for this and $4 for this etc.
No to mandatory Pick, Click, Give
Where will it stop? My crystal ball says the next step will be a State Income Tax again. And, that is where your PFD will go indirectly. My opinion - no one has the right to tell me when or how to spend the PFD money. optional pick, click give ok. mandatory pick, click give no.
@juneaoboy - See Boards Email Plea
See JSD Budget Section - http://www.juneauschools.org/district/administrative_services/our_budget
"To provide input on the budget please send comments to:
budgetinput@jsd.k12.ak.us"
Why do you say email isn't recognized? Either you are uninformed or the school board lies about wanting input... Which is it?