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Reduce K-3 teacher assistant contracts by 5 days ($101,1S8) <br /> Several years ago.we reduced the length of the contract for our locally paid teacher <br /> assistants by five days. This allows them to come to school one day in advance of the students <br /> and leave one day after the last day for students. we are proposing that this same practice be <br /> applied to K-3 teacher assistants. Some of these assistants are already paid with local funds, but <br /> their contract lengths were not reduced. This is a strategy that allows us to `=spread the pain' <br /> before we get into reducing positions. <br /> Eliminate driver/clerical position in middle schools ($74,340) <br /> Historically, the middle schools have been the beneficiaries of having a bus driver <br /> assigned to their schools on a half-time basis to perform clerical duties. This created full-time <br /> employment for some of our more veteran drivers. Since that time, we have been able to create <br /> schedules that p rovided more of our drivers with full-time employment. Under this <br /> recommendation, four of our drivers would lose full-time status, but we would seek other <br /> opportunities for them. The middle school principals agreed that this was a reduction that they <br /> could manage. <br /> Other Potential-Reductions if Local Budget is Further Reduced <br /> We recognize that there is the possibility that the-County Commissioners will ask us to <br /> make further reductions in our budgets. In anticipation of such a request, we are developing a <br /> list of reductions that would generate more than $2.3 million in savings. This list will provide <br /> the School Board, the Commissioners, the public, and our staff with a sense of the implications <br /> of further reductions. we have tried to adhere to the guiding principles that the School Board <br /> approved. It is our sincere desire that we will not have to tap into this list because each of the <br /> reductions has an impact on services that we can provide to our students and/or staff. <br /> We also should re--emphasize that by not increasing lines in the budget, such as for <br /> utilities and various contracted services, the administration is going to have to exercise severe <br /> restrictions in order to control costs. This will be a challenge, especially in light of the <br /> proposed reductions in central office non-personnel and personnel expenditures. <br /> Recurring Capital Budget <br /> The Recurring Capital Budget is based on the district receiving 62.5% of an estimated <br /> $2,546,,,782 or $1,594,286. Revenues for the Recurring Capital Budget are generated by two <br /> cents on the property tax and split between the two school districts based on ADM. The <br /> County's 60--40 Capital Funding Plan is based on three cents being appropriated for recurring <br /> capital; therefore, this budget is not fully funded. <br /> The County Commissioners asked our School Board if it would be willing to reduce its <br /> Recurring Capital allocation in order for the funds to be used to cover the anticipated shortfall <br /> in the operating budget. At its February planning conference, the Board agreed by consensus <br /> that it would be short-sighted to transfer capital funds to cover recurring operating costs. Not <br /> only would this deplete scarce dollars that are used to maintain our aging facilities, but it would <br /> create a shortfall in revenues when we begin to develop the 2010-2011 operating budget. <br /> 5 <br />