School Board Study Session Digs Into Budget Cuts

The Rochester Board of Education continued its discussion of the district's 2011-12 budget Monday night following a community forum with state lawmakers.

More than 100 community members ; about half stayed for the regular board meeting.

Many who stayed expressed concerns to the board over the elimination of media assistants and other anticipated cuts.

Rochester is facing a projected $17 million shortfall next year. In addition to about $3 million in proposed cutbacks, the district is looking to borrow about $14 million from its fund balance.

Proposed budget cuts will impact at least 27 employees in the district and include the elimination of media assistants and the dean of students at two district high schools.  The proposal also outlines a 50 percent reduction in learning consultants' para-educators.

"We are choosing among bad choices," said Superintendent David Pruneau. "We are certainly here to talk about what may be the best bad choice."

But not everyone was convinced that cutting the fund balance and trimming the budget was the only way to achieve a sustainable budget.

Trustee Marty Sibert discussed raising revenue through employee health care savings. The state is working on implementing legislation that would see an 80/20 cost-sharing of health costs with employees.

"I think we should have the courage to discuss approaching our unions and finding out if they might be willing to examine contribution to healthcare costs," said Sibert. 

Board members Beth Talbert, Lisa Nowak, Barb Cenko and Chuck Coutteau all supported the idea.

"My concern is that we are relying on our fund balance too much for next year," said Nowak. 

Talbert also pointed out that the board and the community need to work with state legislators to find a solution to the education funding crisis.

Pruneau discussed the need for Michigan to find a way to achieve "stable and predictable funding."

Several learning consultant para-educators addressed the board in an effort to make known the importance of their job in educating Rochester students.

"We are the people who carry out the Response to Learning program,"explained Amy Baisley, a learning consultant para-educator at .

Baisley works with small groups of 3 to 4 children with low reading abilities. Teaching them reading strategies in small groups without distraction has allowed 30 of the 32 students to re-enter the classroom.

"Who will help our at-risk students?" she asked the board.

The 2011-12 budget talks will continue over the next month. The budget needs to be approved by June 30.