Parkway School Board Passes New Budget
On Wednesday Feb. 8, 2012, the Parkway School District Board of Education passed a new budget proposed by Superintendent Dr. Keith Marty. This new budget cups spending down by as much as $9 Million, which equates to 5% of the district’s operating budget.
According to an article on Parkway’s website, “[These cuts are] due to the continued economic downturn, Parkway’s revenues are less today than they were four years ago and the trend is expected to continue.”
The new proposal was put together by a committee of 22 members. The committee came up with over 100 strategies to reduce the budget, and they narrowed it down to 30. The committee did everything they could so they could cut as few teachers as possible.
“We will have some secretarial positions cut,” said Principal Jenny Marquart. “[North] will reduce by at least one teaching position through attrition.”
When there are fewer teaching positions, there is always the concern that the size of a class will rise.
“I don’t expect a dramatic effect,” said Marquart. “[Cutting teaching positions] might have some impact, but not a dramatic impact.”
In addition to cutting staff positions, the total building allocation will be reduced by 10%.
“Our building budget allocation will be cut,” said Marquart. The building allocation can be used for academics, computers, etc.
In additon, an intervention program calleed PACE(High Schools) and REACH (8th Grade) will be elimnated.
“[PACE/REACH] were interventions for kids that were not on track, not doing well, and they needed an intervention, or for long term suspensions,” said Board of Education Vice President Beth Feldman. “The high school principals decided they would rather have those kids stay in their home school, and work through those interventions, with people in their building.”
Despite these cuts, additional budget cuts are possible for the 2013-2014 school year.
“We need to get about $14 million worth of cuts, and this is only going to get us to about $8 to 10 million,” said Feldman. “These were the cuts [for 2012-2013] that could be accomplished in time for 2012 school year.”
If more budget cuts are needed, a new commite will be formed via Project Parkway.
“It won’t be the same kind of group, (the ad hoc group) that they formed real quickly, [consisting] of principals and other administrators,” said Feldman. “[The Project Parkway task force] will be a much wider ranging group with parents, and teachers, and other employees.”
Last spring, Project Parkway put together a new mission statement and strategic plan for Parkway’s future. Part of the plan was fiscal responsibility for the district. However, if changes are needed, they will be made.
“A budget is a plan,” said Feldman. “Sometimes things don’t go according to plans. We will absolutely have to be flexible with it.”
Written by Brandon Fredman