Districts anticipate more budget pain on the way

Local school districts are operating this year with fewer dollars in their budget, following four rounds of cuts from the state in 2009.

Based on state revenue reports, the outlook already looks grim for the coming months.

“It’s not good,” Gary George, assistant superintendent for quality management for the Olathe School District, said. “I don’t want to be a pessimist and make this sound like doom and gloom but I think realistically it is going to be a tough year.”

Reports that state revenue was $67 million below budget in September were “particularly troubling” to hear, he said.

The Olathe school district reduced its general fund budget by about $10 million for 2009-10, George said. The district has about 188 fewer employees than last year, and continues to work on under-spending and cutting utilities, he said. Some roles, such as counselors, are now being shared between buildings.

“We’re doing all of the kinds of things we can, and if we have to look at additional cuts, is there anything else that can be done?” George said. “We’re getting to the point where we may have to look at programs. We don’t want to. But, we’re trying to figure out how we can avoid those issues, but there is a limit to what you can do.”

The decline in state tax receipts has the “full attention” of Blue Valley School District officials, Mike Slagle, assistant superintendent, said.

Blue Valley dealt with state funding losses by reducing employees and spending. For some time the district implemented a hiring freeze, overtime restrictions and spending constraints.

“In January I’m sure we’ll be hearing about various plans and we’ll have to be mindful about monitoring everything,” Slagle said. “I think everything is on the table all the way from some of the things we instituted last year to additional budget reductions. It is all a possibility this year.”

Though nothing is “actionable at this point,” recent revenue information “looks like it could present challenges” Shawnee Mission School District spokesperson Leigh Anne Neal said. The district lost more than $10 million in 2009-10 and implemented more than $10 million in reductions, including cutting 50 teachers.

Officials were expected to present a first draft of the district’s legislative agenda at the regular board of education meeting which took place after press time on Monday.

George said it may be several years before the school funding situation makes a turnaround.

“I think the sun will shine again,” George said. “The question is, when will it shine?”

With stimulus money helping to prop up the state budget set to end next year, it may get darker before it gets lighter.

“We’ve got to get the Kansas economy in a stronger position. (It has to be) strong enough to get by without the stimulus, unless we have some kind of dramatic recovery that most people do not see in their crystal balls.”

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