Why must the Saint Paul Public Schools and Horace Mann School cut the budget? Saint Paul is facing a declining enrollment of students. This decline has worked its way through the elementary level and is now working its way through the secondary level. In the state of Minnesota, funding is not received based on each child. Instead schools receive a half share for a kindergarten student, a full share for an elementary student, and 1.2 shares for secondary students. As enrollment declines at the secondary level, funding declines at a higher proportion. The school and school district face rising costs of everything from electricity to fuel oil. The economic downturn has had a negative impact on the schools. Finally, as budget cuts take place in education, nearly all involve laying off or terminating district employees. The first to go are the least senior. This increases the average salary. We use average salaries for budgeting. Therefore our dollars purchase less staffing.
Other school districts are considering different options to address budget shortfalls for next year – some are freezes across the board and others are not recommending any? Why isn’t SPPS considering more? We have considered all options and this is what administration is bringing forward at this time. We cannot and will not speculate about other districts’ budget decisions. Instead, we need to focus on our district’s specific needs and issues – for the short and long term.
How will the Federal Stimulus package affect the proposals? Do you need to make all these cuts if you get more money from the feds? As we noted in the presentation, the Stimulus package as it has been shared with us, is expected to be targeted to specific programs or uses, such as Title I, construction, and IDEA. It is not the answer for our structural deficit.
Even though it looks like some significant funding may flow to SPPS, changes can occur in conference committee
Any funding received by SPPS will be very targeted, under the programs ultimately funded
Stimulus will not solve the $25 million shortfall, especially the structural deficit
Funds will be not be spread equally
Estimates that have been published are ballpark figures at best; final amounts will likely vary, possibly significantly
This is one-time money for a two year period
Must avoid creating permanent expenses that increase long-term shortfall projections]
How do District Level cuts impact Horace Mann School? Current proposed cuts at the district level will impact Horace Mann in several ways:
New staff contracts will be frozen as well all health insurance contributions by the school district
Central office administrators will be cut or retirees will not be replaced
Our fund balance will be spent down below 5% (impacts district credit rating)
Consultants, food, and travel will be decreased
Elementary instrumental music will be reduced (band for Horace Mann)
English Language Learning and Special Education will be cut (impacts staffing at schools and increases student:teacher ratio)
Transportation will be cut (Special Needs Kindergarten will move to Cherokee Heights Magnet School)
Athletics will be cut
Operations will be cut (could impact buildings and grounds services or custodial services at our school)
Various other small programming cuts that would have little impact here
What does the itinerant instrumental music teacher reduction mean? We currently have 19.8 itinerant teachers that are paid out of the Academics centrally-funded budget. In addition, schools pay for 3.6 FTEs for a total of 23.4 FTE instrumental teachers. Individual schools may still choose to purchase additional FTE (time) for the instrumental allocation to increase the number of minutes students are able to receive lessons. This will NOT affect the core, classroom based music and arts programming at the elementary or secondary levels who have these programs.
Saint Paul Public Schools itinerant instrumental music teachers serve students in grades 4, 5, and 6 (and in some cases lower grades) by providing them with individual and band, orchestra and string lessons and learning experiences in instrumental ensembles. These teachers are assigned from the Office of Academics to the schools according to the number of students in the building. Schools get .1 - .6 FTE for their schools based on the number of students in these three grade levels. These instrumental teachers provide individual and group lessons to students for 15 to 20 minutes a week and bring all students together for ensembles.
How has Horace Mann School dealt with budget cuts in the past? In recent years, a 5th/6th grade position was cut due to declining upper grade enrollment. A librarian was also cut. After years of volunteering to keep the library open, parents requested a TA from the PTA. The PTA funded the position for several years. Eventually, the school was able to take over the position. The school's Gifted and Talented teacher was converted to a half-time teaching and half-time staff development coaching position due to new district requirements.
Last year, the school was able to add back a .6 teacher for 5th/6th grade. We were also able to add teaching assistants and .3 Gifted/Talented teacher due to rising enrollment.
What is the process to create the Horace Mann School budget? The principal is primarily responsible for budget and staffing. Principal Litwin receives the school budget from the school district. He enters in current staffing and budget levels to see if the next year can support all of these expenditures. He seeks parent and staff input through website feedback and Site Council meetings. Whether there are additional dollars or a deficit, he prepares a budget based on local, state, and federal guidelines. After careful consideration, Principal Litwin presents the new budget to Site Council at the first April meeting. Site Council approves the budget at the second April meeting. The budget is built with several contingencies in mind if there are enrollment changes, staff turnover, or other variables that change budget requirements during the summer or early school year.
What is the process to create the Horace Mann SCIP? Each year a committee of staff members and parents review the current School Comprehensive Improvement Plan. The team looks at the most up-to-date assessment information. Based on data, current, and developing conditions, this team writes the new SCIP. Often, the previous SCIP is revised or changed rather than completely rewritten. Important strategies are continued from one year to the next. The website is used to get staff and parent input. Site Council meetings offer another opportunity to make public comments. Finally, the draft SCIP is presented to the Site Council at the first April meeting. The plan is then approved at the second April meeting.
How can the public share ideas about cutting the budget?
If you are concerned about the budget or School Comprehensive Improvement Plan proposed by the school or the budget cuts
proposed by District Administration, here are some opportunities to participate.
Budget Engagement Opportunities at the District Level
March 11 - April 10: Web feedback on
Budget Shortfall Solutions 2009-2010 - via the web site
Thursday, Mar.
26, 2009, Board Listening Session from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at John A. Johnson Achievement Plus Elementary, 740 York Ave.
CANCELED DUE TO SCHEDULING CONFLICT Check the link below for updated information. Thursday, May 28,
2009, Board Listening Session from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at EXPO for Excellence Magnet, 540 Warwick St. S.
SCIP/Budget Engagement Opportunities at Horace Mann School Level
March 11: Site Council Meeting
April 8: Site Council Meeting
April 22: Site Council Meeting
Budget Engagement Opportunities at the Legislative Level/ Town Hall Meeting Information:
Monday, February 23, Woodbury 6:00 p.m.,Central Park Amphitheater, 8595 Central Park Place
Tuesday, February 24, Bloomington 7:00 p.m., Bloomington City Hall, 1800 W Old Shakopee Rd
Tuesday, February 24, Minneapolis 6:00 p.m., Minneapolis Park Board, 2117 West River Road
Wednesday, February 25, Burnsville 7:30 p.m., Fairview Ridges Hospital, 201 E. Nicollet Blvd
Wednesday, February 25, White Bear Lake 6:30 p.m., White Bear Lake High School - South Campus, 3551 McKnight Rd N
Thursday, February 26, St. Paul 6:00 p.m., West Minnehaha Rec. Center in Frogtown, 685 Minnehaha Ave W
Thursday, February 26, Plymouth 7:00 p.m., Plymouth City Hall, 3400 Plymouth Blvd.
Thursday, February 26, Coon Rapids 7:00 p.m., Coon Rapids City Hall, 11155 Robinson Drive
Thursday, February 26, Forest Lake TBD
What kind of spending can be cut? The General Fund, monies received from the state, for education will be the primary source cut. This fund pays for everything related to regular education and also kicks in money for Special Education, English Language Learning, and Transportation.
Title I dollars can not be cut although they are redistributed depending on school needs. Special Education requires Maintenance of Effort, basically continuing programming from one year to the next. Although the General Fund contributes, it is difficult to make cuts here. Funds for building and grounds improvements can not be cut. That is why even though we may cut staffing and budget for next year, we will still have a remodeling project. Those funds cannot be intermingled without state legislative action. Referendum funds cannot be cut.
Which are the “eligible contracts” that would be affected by the COLA and health insurance freezes? Those contracts are included in the full report of recommendations. They include ASAP, Nutrition Services, Ed. Assistants, Principals, School & Community Service Professionals, Teachers, Machinists, SPSO, PEA, and MMSA.
How many staff positions does the COLA and Insurance freeze save? COLA freeze protects about 59 staff positions on average, and the insurance freeze is another 17.5 for total combined of 76.5 positions. (These freezes INCLUDE central administrators at the highest levels as well.)
What is the total estimated # of staff positions the District expects to cut? The total number of staff positions reduced for 2009-10 will not be known until the schools, as part of their site-based budgeting process, make their budget recommendations later this spring. In terms of a general range of staff positions we might expect to reduce, however, we are looking at roughly 4.5%, or about 265 positions. This is only a rough estimate at this time. It is subject to change depending on specific recommendations from schools, programs and departments.
How many of the lay-offs/staff reductions are associated with "right-sizing the district" verses general reductions? Our estimate is that:
Approximately 106 FTEs are attributable to "right-sizing."
(c)2002-2009 Horace Mann School (K-6) - St. Paul Public Schools, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55116 Mr. Jim Litwin, Principal Telephone: 651.293.8965 Webmaster jim.litwin@spps.org last updated on 2/19/2009 10:13:56 AM
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