CCUSD Forced to “Pick a Poison” With Looming Budget Cuts
May 7, 2009 - The phrase “Pick Your Poison” typically refers to making a choice between many known evils, none of which are healthy.
Like many school districts throughout Arizona, CCUSD leadership faces a similar decision during summer break. When eight excelling schools face loss of teachers, programs, and even a school itself, there are no popular choices. It is very difficult if not impossible to find a bright side. For that, we need only to look at our students and remind ourselves why our decisions are so important and why we need to look at the big picture and plan for the long-term success of our district.
While the Cave Creek community is wrangling over budget cut “Tiers,” all available indicators, including the K-12 budget reconciliation House Bill released by Appropriations this week (see summary below) are still pointing to a CCUSD budget shortfall at almost $4 million. This places us deep into “Tier 3” on the budget reductions list as currently defined by district administration, or 11% of our current operating expenses. Imagine for a moment that all eight schools were funded equally… one school would account for 12.5% of operating expenses…this is a sobering thought for a school district and a community of our size.
It is difficult to put a “positive spin” on this bleak reality, but we must dig deep as a community and create opportunities for our students to learn and grow in spite of the situation. Our students need our attention and support now more than ever.
What Are The Options?
The board has already approved approximately $1.5 Million in “Tier 1” cuts. This leaves $2.3 Million to go before we’re done. At this point in time, district administration and the board will most likely need to select at least two items from the following menu in order to balance the budget:
- Increase class size
- Cut Elementary PE, Specials and Computer Lab Coordinators
- Cut all staff pay
- Cut Curriculum development and materials
- Close a School
Option 1: Increase Class Size
Small class sizes have been a point of pride in our community, and student performance is a direct reflection of our commitment to this tenet. Recent priorities set by the board place core classrooms at first priority for budgeting purposes. This option has essentially, and thankfully, been taken off the table by the board.
Option 2: Cut Elementary PE, Specials and
Computer Lab Coordinators
While the community sees our Elementary specials as vital to student development and performance, it is difficult to realize that we may have to lay-off many of our uniquely qualified, highly effective Art, Music and PE instructors. Unless the community collectively finds alternate funding for these programs that we value, they will most likely need to be reduced for the indefinite future.
Option 3: Cut All Staff Pay
Prop 301 provides voter-approved revenue to support teacher performance pay. As a result of the down economy, this sales-tax driven funding, also referred to as the “Classroom Site Fund” is also down, resulting in an automatic 3.4% pay decrease to our teachers starting in the fall. This cut falls outside the budget decisions currently under consideration by the district and the state. In addition, CCUSD Administrator pay is set for a 1% decrease at “Tier 2” and ALL employees are set to take an additional 1% decrease at “Tier 3.” When adding Prop 301 losses to Tier 2 and Tier 3 pay decreases, the total hit to district salaries adds up to $1,266,000. Although much of this salary reduction will do little to help offset the budget deficit, it is equivalent to around 33% of the total CCUSD projected budget shortfall.
For community members that feel our teachers and administrators are not doing their part to close the budget deficit, compare their collective pay decrease of $1.27 Million to the amount our “Step UP!” community fundraiser has generated, less than $20,000. If anyone has not Stepped Up, it is our parents and community members. Catalina Foothills in Tucson is already recalling some RIFFED teachers, as they have collectively raised over $135,000 thus far in their community funding appeal. CCUSD teachers and administrators are doing their part, and we should thank them for it by making a donation to “Step UP!” to save their colleagues and support our excelling students.
Send Step UP! checks made payable to: CCUSD PO Box 426, Cave Creek, AZ 85327
Option 4: Cut Curriculum Development and Materials
With ALL excelling schools, A+ schools, Golden Bell awards, academic competition winners and high test scores among the accolades our students and teachers have earned in CCUSD, the last thing we should be forced to do is cut curriculum development. Our students have earned the right, and our teachers have proven their ability to advance student performance if given the proper tools and support. Let’s hope we don’t go there.
Option 5: Close a School
The current economic downturn combined with the School Facilities Board’s lack of funds to maintain Arizona school's force the district’s hand to seriously consider reducing our facilities burden in order to preserve funding for our students for the long-term. While our budget must be reconciled for 2010, we will face the same budget challenges next year if we are not proactive and aggressive with our financial plan for the future. Closing a school will result in reduced overhead and provides incremental savings that can be redirected to classrooms, not just next year, but for the uncertain years to come.
The first public meeting to receive public input regarding a school closure will be held
Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. in the Governing Board Room located at
33016 North 60th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85266.
CCUSD Budget Situation as of May 7, 2009
| House Bill 2639 – Budget Reconciliation – K-12 Education | |
Description |
Shortfall for CCUSD |
Carry Forward of January 2009 Cuts |
$757,000 |
Lump Sum Cut to Soft Capital |
$1,019,038 |
Subtotal Estimated Budget Reduction for FY 2010 |
$1,776,038 |
| CCUSD Estimated Expense Increases for FY2010 | |
| Health Insurance | $200,000 |
| Electric Rate Increase | $135,000 |
| Loss of Excess Utilities Funding | $1,700,000 |
| Subtotal Estimated Expense Increases | $2,035,000 |
| Total Estimated Budget Shortfall for FY2010 | $3,811,038 |
| CCUSD Additional Losses/Unknowns for FY 2010: | |
Description |
Shortfall for CCUSD |
ZERO Funding for SFB (Building Renewal) |
$400,000 |
Start of 11 Year Phase-out of Career Ladder |
$115,222 |
| HB2639 "Funds Sweep" - Ambiguous at this Time | $0 |
| Elimination of Funding for Early Kindergarten | $53,000 |
| Prop 301 Reduction (Reduces Teacher Pay directly, not part of Operating Budget) |
$962,571 |
Subtotal Losses/Unknowns |
$1,530,793 |
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Contributed by Cynthia Weiss
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