School comments by Bob Mayer The revenue shortfall for the Vermillion School District for 2001-02 was projected to $893,000. The actual shortfall was $708,000 (rounding figures). The projected shortfall for 2002-03 is $514,000. In order to balance the budget, the school board has employed the following plan: 1) use reserves, 2) budget cuts, 3) revenue shifts or enhancements where possible.
The school years of 2001-02 and 2002-03 were and will be affected by the above-mentioned practices. The following is a list of budget cuts and/or revenue enhancements for the general fund.
Budget Cuts
Vermillion High School
Eliminate library/computer aide, $10,500
Eliminate transportation/ study hall aide, $13,600
Eliminate paid early bird classes, $8,000
Eliminate .4 physical education teacher, $8,400
Eliminate French teacher .4 FTE, $11,450
Eliminate .5 FTE clerical, $7,320
Reduce district contribution to yearbook, $12,000
Reduce extracurricular activities, $15,000
Vermillion Middle School
Eliminate career class, $12,900
Eliminate foreign language, $28,000
Eliminate library aide, $13,700
Eliminate eighth-grade reading, $35,000
Reduce vocal music lessons, $12,000
Note: The middle school was restructured for 2002-03. Class periods increased by 10 minutes each and some staff are shared with the high school. Some additional course offerings, Spanish, consumer/life science, drama were added using existing staff without additional cost.
Elementary Schools
Eliminate through attrition one fifth-grade position $49,000
Eliminate .4 FTE computer teacher (covered by other staff), $11,125
Eliminate some aide time, $6,000
District Wide
Eliminate gifted education, $34,360
Reduce physical education .8 FTE, $22,265
Eliminate K-9 Alternative School, $48,051
Reduce software budget, $5,000
Reduce supply budgets 20 percent, $48,691
Reduce custodial staff, $14,000
Eliminate district contribution to Native American coordinator, $6,000
Reduce board's advertising budget, $2,000
Administrative
Eliminate .5 FTE VMS assistant principal, $19,000
Eliminate national convention expense, $5,300
Reduce supply accounts, $2,000
Eliminate VHS assistant principal and create dean of students positions, $23,000
Reduce central office clerical, $5,000
Total Budget Cuts: $489,212
The following are revenue shifts or enhancements allowed by law.
Textbooks can now be purchased from capital outlay instead of the general fund. This practice enhanced the general fund revenues by $116,700.
Fifteen percent of transportation contract can be shifted to capital outlay, thus enhancing the general fund by $37,600.
Other revenue enhancements in the general fund:
E-rate savings, $3,000
Storage lease to capital outlay, $3,000
Athletic club donation, $5,000
Early Retirement Savings, $45,000
Grant funds to hire staff, $58,000
Reduce unemployment fund (one time savings), $30,000
Total revenue shifts or enhancements: $298,300
Please note that some figures are rounded.
Combining the budget cuts of $489,212 with revenue shifts/enhancements of $298,300 the school district has affected the general fund by $787,512. These actions have occurred over a two-year period of time, 2001-03. This amounts to 11 percent of the general fund budget.
Next week's article will discuss the recent board action on the opt out situation.
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