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Saint Paul Public Schools makes budget recommendations with an eye to a responsible future
Saint Paul, Minn.- Saint Paul Public Schools is recommending a number of adjustmentsneeded to address short-term budget shortfalls and projected long-termbudget deficits, Superintendent Meria Carstarphen said today. Among thedifficult recommendations are staff reductions, changes to salaryarrangements and changes to operations.
"In these times ofeconomic hardship, we may be tempted to take action with a view onlyfor the next year or two," Carstarphen said. "However, given ourstructural deficit and the conversation we have started with the entireSaint Paul community about our future, we must balance both."
"Itis our promise and our responsibility to the families we serve todayand the ones we will serve for years to come," Carstarphen said.
Thefull list of recommendations, which will be presented at tonight'sCommittee of the Board (COB) meeting, include an estimated total of $15million in short-term solutions related to the current economic crisis.Additionally, the recommendations presented tonight will address $10million in permanent solutions to address the structural deficits.
Examples of the recommendations include:
· A freeze of cost of living increases on eligible contracts for 2009 - 2010.
· A freeze on health insurance contributions on eligible contracts for 2009 - 2010.
· Reductions in Central Administration.
· Use fund balance to offset potential revenue loss.
Therewill be sacrifices throughout the District as SPPS works to stave off aworsening economic crisis while continuing our mission of providing aquality education for all students, Carstarphen said.
"These arenot easy solutions," she said. "However, they are necessary and some,which address the structural deficit, are well overdue."
Also attonight's meeting, Board members will also receive a list of draftguiding principles for Large Scale System Changes (LSSC) and draftcriteria for rightsizing and consolidation. These draft principles andcriteria will be used to develop recommendations and make decisionsregarding LSSC. These drafts will be posted to the SPPS Web site, www.spps.org, this evening.
Thefinal 2009 - 2010 budget must be approved by June 30. In the comingmonths, there will be many opportunities for staff, families andcommunity members to give feedback on the budget shortfall solutions aswell as LSSC. A full schedule of those opportunities also will beposted on the District's Web site, www.spps.org.
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NOTE TO EDITORS AND PRODUCERS: Documents regarding the proposed 2009 -2010 budget guidelines and Large Scale System Changes will be posted atthe District's Web site, www.spps.org, later today.
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