Board members, parents and students lobbied for programs and positions Thursday while suggesting alternate ways to make up an $8.6 million projected deficit in Hamilton County Schools’ budget.
School administrators presented their proposed budget for fiscal year 2011 for the second time publicly during a work session Thursday, and this time got into a few more specifics.
Of the 25 schools whose staffing numbers are affected, Ooltewah High School is scheduled to lose the most, with seven staff members, while East Hamilton School would gain three positions. The net change would be a loss of 41 school-based positions.
“When you look at our budget, 80 percent of it is spent on people. Mathematically there’s just no other place to go,” Chief Financial Officer Tommy Kranz told the Hamilton County Board of Education. “For the record, I don’t know of any principal who accepted their cuts. But at the same time, y’all have seen the shortfall. The options are limited.”
As people were streaming into Thursday’s meeting, students from Sequoyah High School’s electrical program — one line item on the chopping block — stood outside distributing fliers titled, “Save our skills.”
Steven Newt, 16, chose to attend Sequoyah for the electrical program. And after two years, he’s worried about where he’ll finish his training.
“I don’t want them to tell me, ‘Sorry, but go pick another career.’ That’s what it feels like they’re saying,” he said.
Stephen Phoenix brought his daughter, Maryn Krall, to the meeting. Mr. Phoenix said Maryn, a ninth-grade band student, is upset because the school plans to reduce the band teacher’s position to half-time.
SCHOOL CUTSTo save $2.6 million and help reduce a projected $8.6 million deficit, Hamilton County Schools officials propose to cut the following number of positions at local schools:* Central High School: -1* East Ridge High School: -1* Ooltewah High: -7* Red Bank High: -6* Sale Creek Middle High: -0.5* Sequoyah High: -1.5* Soddy-Daisy High: -1* Brainerd High: -3* Center for Creative Arts: -2* Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences: -2* Hixson High: -3* Lookout Valley Middle-High: -2* Tyner Academy: -1* Signal Mountain Middle-High: +2* East Hamilton School: +3* Brown Middle: -1.5* East Ridge Middle: -1* Ooltewah Middle: -3* Red Bank Middle: -1* Hunter Middle: -2* Loftis Middle: -2* East Lake Academy -0.5* Tyner Middle: -1* Barger Academy: -2* Normal Park Museum Magnet: -1Net change: -41 positions
“It being a performing arts school, and they’re trying to get rid of the band teacher … it’s the whole reason for the school,” he said.
The largest growth in budget expenditures is about $2 million in employee health care costs, Mr. Kranz said.
School system officials will negotiate again with the Hamilton County Education Association on May 5 to seek a compromise, which could include higher premiums. Deputy Superintendent Rick Smith said dependent care coverage also could be changed.
Board member Rhonda Thurman said instead of “going for the jugular” and cutting school-based positions, she’d like to see administrators consider cutting model classrooms, middle school coaches or a program that reaches out to dropouts to help them graduate.
The board reached a general consensus that it will not be ready to vote on a finalized budget by May 10, as was previously planned. Instead, Chairman Kenny Smith will schedule another work session first.
Board member Chip Baker expressed his frustration that the board seems to have the same conversation every year.
“We’re always trying to figure out where the funds are going to come from, and it’s aggravating,” he said. “It’s just a circus every year trying to figure out … how to be accountable to our constituents, to our children.”
Follow Kelli Gauthier on Twitter at twitter.com/gauthierkelli.
Source: Hamilton County Department of Education
Continue reading by following these links to related stories:
Schools’ $310 million budget eliminates 41 jobs
Negotiations continue as school system using year-old contract
Article: Tennessee: After-school tutoring could face cuts