Sisters schools face cuts

Sisters schools are facing the grim prospect of cuts to staff and programs to make up a $343,803 budget shortfall next year.

The shortfall was triggered by an unexpected decline in enrollment this year, which cost the schools $322,831 in state support funds.

At the same time, staff salaries were increased as a result of negotiations that took place before the downward trend in enrollment became apparent.

According to schools superintendent Steve Swisher, the schools' budget committee is weighing its options to deal with the crisis.

The committee can decide to project higher enrollment next year, which would mean budgeting more revenue. The schools would then borrow money against that anticipated revenue.

Enrollment is on the rise, Swisher said, "but the gamble is, where will it be next fall."

If the committee gambles too much, and enrollment falls short, the schools would have to make cuts to cover the difference.

"You don't have any room to make errors, because if you do, you immediately go into layoff mode," Swisher said.

But no matter what the budget committee projects for enrollment next year, they also have to start setting priorities for making cuts now.

"Most certainly, with that amount of deficit, there's going to have to be some reductions," Swisher said.

Some reductions could be made by simply not filling openings left by attrition - teachers retiring or moving on to other jobs. That would mean internal shuffling of staff and students, and probably bigger class sizes.

"The worst case scenario is that you have a person who is working and wants to keep on working and you have to lay them off," Swisher said.

And there is the risk of guessing wrong on that

end, too - cutting too deep and then getting more revenue than expected.

If that happens, the schools could lose teachers who didn't have to be lost.

"You don't want to lose your good teachers," Swisher said.

The uncertainty takes its toll on staff, especially young teachers who are hoping to hold onto a job, Swisher noted.

"It's the fear of the unknown that creates a lot of issues," Swisher said. "Anxiety levels are high until the budget is sorted out and people know where they stand."

The next budget committee meeting is set for Monday, May 18. The budget must be finalized by July 1.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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