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Schools

Not a 'Proud Moment' for Education, Board Says Before Budget Approval

More than 100 paraprofessionals, teachers and parents filled the many chairs waiting for them at Monday night's Rochester Board of Education meeting.

With a disheartening expression of frustration with state funding cuts to schools, the Rochester Board of Education approved the 2011-12 school district budget on Monday.

The budget eliminates media assistants and sets up the restructuring of the paraeducator program; the board approved it 6-0.

"I don't think this is a proud moment for public education," said Board of Education member Beth Talbert. "But it is not in our best interest to go bankrupt. I will support this budget tonight."

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The 2011-12 budget predicted a $11.4 million spending deficit, which the district will fill by slashing its fund balance in half and cutting some expenditures.

The budget includes an anticipated one-time state funding allowance of $1.5 million for meeting best fiscal practices. But William Mull, the district's assistant superintendent for business, warned that this funding is not guaranteed and that no details from the state are yet available.

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"This is not a stable and predictable funding model," Mull said.

About 100 people attended the meeting.

Many were paraeducators and teachers who urged the board to reconsider the elimination of media assistants and the restructuring of the paraeducator program.

"Our plea to you ... use common sense and discretion on this restructuring plan," said Patty Katulic, paraprofessional union president. "It is also about the lower quality of care."

Under the paraeducator restructuring plan, the paraeducators who manage the Learning Consultant program will be reduced by 50 percent, and the other paraeducator positions will be restructured. It will save about $750,000.

"We are still committed to meet the needs of these students," said Superintendent David Pruneau.

Michelle Mountain, a media specialist at Delta Kelly, said elimination of her position will have many unintentional consequences. That particular budget cut will save the district $634,000.

"Study your data for a year," Mountain said. "These people are just as important. Look at your consequences."

Throughout the budget process, board members have debated the pros and cons of spending down the district's fund balance, which has been about $30 million. School leaders have raised concerns about keeping the fund balance to avoid borrowing money for cash flow.

Rochester Education Association President Doug Hill, who attended Monday night's meeting, took issue with these concerns. Hill said the "costly interest rate" Mull has referred to in the past isn't as great a concern as he would make members of the public believe.

Hill said the district could borrow from the state treasury at a rate of 0.98 percent.

Pruneau told the board he was concerned with the reduction of infrastructure funding and the spending of the fund balance.   

"We have experienced cuts since I came to Rochester," said Pruneau, who is starting his final week with the school district before he leaves for a new job in Elmhurst, IL.

"The trend in Lansing is to cut education. Share some of that anger with the legislators that are representing you in Lansing." 

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