This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, April 28, 2011 -Now that St. Louis school Superintendent Kelvin Adams has presented his budget proposal to the Special Administrative Board that runs the district, it's the public's turn to voice its opinion.
Beginning Thursday and lasting until May 16, people may post comments on the district's website about the proposed budget plan, which includes closing three schools, transforming others and, for the following school year, possibly turning Sumner High School into a charter school sponsored by the district.
Comments will also be heard at a public forum on at 6:30 p.m., Mon., May 9 at at Vashon High School. The SAB is expected to vote on the budget -- and according to Rick Sullivan, head of the board, pass the budget -- at its meeting May 26.
The budget proposal originally was scheduled to be presented last Thursday night, but at the last minute Adams said he did not want to submit it because of some uncertainties surrounding federal dollars that would be funneled through Jefferson City. Now that that issue is clearer -- or as clear as any school finance issue can be while the legislature is still in session -- Adams presented his budget to the SAB Monday night.
Highlights from the plan, which Adams titled "Creating Great Options," include:
* A reduction in 171 positions, including 10 in central office, 20 safety officers, 108 teachers, 20 librarians and 13 others. The reductions do not necessarily mean layoffs because Adams said at this point, 262 people are expected to leave, including 112 continuing substitute teachers, 107 whose contracts will not be renewed and 43 retirements
Depending on how the departures match up with the positions to be eliminated, Adams said, there may or may not have to be involuntary layoffs. Of the 107 people whose contracts will not be renewed, 14 are teachers, most of whom had not completed their probationary period and did not have tenure.
In his presentation, Adams noted that several local school districts have had a similar reduction in the number of positions, from East St. Louis to Ladue and Francis Howell.
* The proposed budget would be $272.8 million, including a $3 million surplus. That is down from $278.7 million in the current year. A chart comparing the sources of funding for the school system from the 2006-07 school year to the projected budget for next year showed sharp reductions in money from the state -- $133.6 million to 56.3 million -- while federal dollars rose slightly and local money dropped.
"While we are pleased to be presenting a balanced budget," Adams said, "we realized there will still be challenges."
Adams noted that over the past two years, the district has cut spending by $60 million, as revenue and enrollment declined.
"In recent years," he said in a statement that accompanied the budget submission, "we have focused on stabilizing academics, stabilizing finances and stabilizing governance. SLPS will end FY 2011 with a balanced budget, consistent leadership and improving academic achievement.
"The FY 2012 General Operating Budget has been developed to improve academic outcomes, return the district to an accredited status and continue fiscal responsibility."
* Changes in school structure, as reported last week, include the closing of Stevens Middle School, Bunche Middle School and Big Picture High School. Bunche eighth-graders will move to Compton Drew, while Stevens students will go to Cole, L'Ouverture or Yeatman. Big Picture students will be reassigned to magnet, choice, neighborhood and comprehensive schools.
In addition, single-sex classrooms will be introduced at Woerner elementary and Yeatman middle schools; an African-centered curriculum will be introduced at Cole school, which will go from K-6 to K-8; and Des Peres, Madison, Stevens and Meda P. Washington schools will re-open with a multiple pathways curriculum. Beaumont will become a technical high school.
Adams said the conversion of Sumner to a district-sponsored charter school is based on academics and attendance at the school now. "We see this as a real opportunity to do something different," he said, though he added that the charter is not necessarily a sure thing.
One feature of the budget that prompted the most discussion is a move by the district from a system where individual school budgets are based on staff to one based on the allocation of money. Principals will be given a certain amount of money to run their schools and will be given autonomy to decide staffing and other priorities based on their own needs.
Sullivan, head of the SAB, expressed a concern about whether principals are going to have enough training to handle such a role; Adams said the principals would attend several sessions to make sure they knew how to move into the new system.
Still, said Sullivan, "I don't see a principal raising his hands and saying, 'I'm not sure how to do this.' We need to identify those folks who think they know but don't."
Even with school closings and the departure of some teachers, the district said it would maintain student-teacher ratios that fall below the minimum standards set by the state of Missouri. SAB member Richard Gaines said class size is an area where the board has made a strong commitment, and he wants to make sure that promise is kept.
"We are not moving on that, even if we have to go into deficit," Gaines said. "That is sacrosanct."
Adams pointed out that while the district will have about 23,000 students next year, compared with more than 32,000 in 2006-07, it does face the possibility that more will leave from the schools that are closed. He said the community wants neighborhood schools, and he wants to make sure there are options out there to please as many families as possible.
"We believe the best balancing act is to have parents send their kids to a neighborhood school, if we can give them the kind of schools that they want," he said. "We won't lose them through lack of effort, but those families will vote with their feet."