School districts feeling pain of budget cuts

With the smoke clearing from the 2009 Legislature, and guidelines set by the State Board of Education, Utah's school districts are facing tough budget decisions this spring.

Provo District has distributed letters to 204 new teachers warning they may not have a job next year. Logan District isn't renewing contracts for eight educators.

Davis District is increasing class sizes. Granite is sending some district administrators back where they came from: to teach in the classroom.

Furloughs are under discussion. Many district officials, however, say even though they now have permission to close school doors for up to eight days to save money, they consider that a last resort. The eight days must include three "quality teaching" days that provide for teacher training, leaving five days that would directly affect students.

All districts must have their budgets for this year and the 2009-10 school year finalized by June 30.

State public education came out of the legislative session with a 2.5 percent cut for fiscal year 2009 and a 5.1 percent reduction for fiscal year 2010.

These final numbers take into consideration funds left over from the previous year to backfill deficits. It also includes holes being filled with federal stimulus money.

Parents for Choice in Education, a nonprofit group that supports the charter school movement, is adamantly against closing schools to save a buck.

"Our students cannot afford to slip farther behind because we are unwilling to re-evaluate our spending traditions," said Robyn Bagley, PCE board chairwoman.

Officials at Salt Lake, Logan, Davis and Alpine districts said they are discussing the furlough option but would likely reserve it as an emergency measure.

"That will be a last resort," said Logan District Superintendent Marshal Garrett.

Salt Lake District Superintendent McKell Withers agreed, saying, "Kids need as many instructional hours as they can get, particularly our students who are occasionally a little farther behind because of living in poverty or not being native speakers. Any minute we can get, we want. We don't want to shorten the school year."

Withers added the quality teaching days are also extremely important. "Professional development is essential to build skills and be a success in the classroom," he said.

Granite District officials are talking about a three-day furlough for employees who don't teach so classrooms would not be affected.

Besides addressing furloughs, districts statewide are taking a closer look in the mirror and making decisions on cuts — some small, some large. It's painful. "Death by a thousand cuts," said Provo District business administrator Kerry Smith.