May 6th School Board Meeting: More cuts on the way

The first public school board meeting on the proposed 2008-09 fiscal budget could be summed up by one word:

DEVASTATING

Next year's proposed budget calls for cutting 213 teachers/therapists and 50 educational assistance positions. This means larger class sizes and loss of educational programs our students deserve to have access to. The additional loss of Educational Assistants is heartbreaking. At the same time, administration is proposing to add 15 more curriculum generalists.

The proposed cuts do not have to be this severe! Last fall, our school board chose to not raise the school tax levy to the maximum of 16.7%. By not raising the levy to the max, MPS will receive nearly $6 million dollars less next year in state funding. On top of that poor decision, the school board has directed Andrekopulous to propose a budget at an increase of only .25 percent. Again, MPS will lose millions of dollars in the 2009-10 fiscal year in state funding if we do not raise the school tax levy to the maximum (all the more reason why we need a new school funding formula), which will mean even more severe cuts in the 2009-10 school year.

Attendance at the meeting was pathetic. There were a total of seven of us in attendance. Only two of us spoke at the hearing. I was pleased to hear the parent from MGI (German Immersion) school tell the school board they need to reconsider their proposed school tax levy increase of .25%. MGI has increasing enrollment, yet they are facing the prospect of having to cut two teachers next fall. The school where I teach (Lancaster) is faced with cutting our one guidance position to one day a week, as well as reducing our library/media specialist position to 3 days a week next year.

Our school board members need to hear that the proposed cuts and proposed school tax levy increase for next year is irresponsible. Please attend the next scheduled school board meeting on the proposed budget and tell them that administration should not be cutting at the classroom and support services level next year. Administration needs to put kids first!


The next school board meeting on the budget is scheduled for Thursday, May 15 @6:30.