10 Potential School Budget Cuts in Rochester

How does a school district absorb a projected $10.8 million budget shortfall? Here's a closer look at potential budget reductions as presented to Rochester Board of Education members on Monday night.

These potential cuts are not in any order, and they are only potential cuts; the final 2012-13 budget will be approved in June.

"This is a moment in time ... a snapshot of where we are," said Dan Romzek, the district's newly hired assistant superintendent for business.

Romzek and board members will discuss these potential cuts in depth at an April 30 meeting.

1. A 5 percent reduction across the board in school and department budgets.

• Projected savings: $316,052
• Potential impact: These budgets, which cover classroom and building supplies, have been reduced by 5 percent year after year, said Romzek.

2. Elimination of the district's alternative high school program.

• Projected savings: $350,000
• Potential impact: The program, also known as ACE, serves as an alternative high school for about 100 students. If the program is eliminated, these students would then be absorbed into the general population of each high school.

3. Reduced substitute teacher costs.

• Projected savings: $100,000
• Potential impact: Teachers are allowed "release time" from the classroom for building projects, planning or for team leader projects. A substitute teacher then takes over that classroom for the day; this potential cut would affect those opportunities.

4. A 50 percent reduction in the Media Specialists program.

• Projected savings: $802,146
• Potential impact: There is not yet a detailed plan for how the media centers in each school would be managed if half of the media specialists were eliminated. However, many of the media specialists would be moved into classroom positions, based on seniority, and newer teachers could potentially be bumped. Last year, board members eliminated the Media Assistant positions as part of the budget cutbacks.

5. Elimination of the Learning Consultant program.

• Projected savings: $1.9 million
• Potential impact: Learning consultants provide academic support for the schools. The program involves teachers and para-educators. The teachers would likely have seniority over some newer teachers in the district and could be placed in the classrooms.

6. Cuts to middle school athletics.

• Projected savings: $254,308
• Potential impact: Details would need to be worked out, but students would possibly need to rely on intramural athletics.

7. Privatization of transportation services.

• Projected savings: $1.3 million
• Potential impact: The with awarding a contract to Durham School Services to privatize bus drivers in the district. 

8. Privatization of custodial services.

• Projected savings: $1.6 million
• Potential impact: The Board of Education has asked school administrators to move forward with awarding a contract to GCA Education Services to privatize custodians in the district.

9. Eliminate five K-12 teaching positions.

• Projected savings: $325,000
• Potential impact: This would depend on school enrollment.

10. Eliminate the school liaison officer program.

• Projected savings: $129,956
• Potential impact: The program supports three uniformed officers in the high schools.

In all, board members were presented with $9.4 million in potential budget cuts. The district's fund balance of $23.5 million would help asborb part of the deficit.