MONROE - The Monroe school board has developed four teams to educate the community on a four-year, $8 million non-recurring referendum it will present to voters on the April 5 ballot.
The district has developed an information distribution team that will develop a referendum brochure in preparation of a series of public meetings planned for March, although the dates have not yet been determined. The district also has developed a community presentation team that will work with organizations. And there is a staff team that is updating district employees on the issues in the referendum.
The last team the district established is a youth team that will educate young voters.
"Hopefully, over the next seven weeks we will put together as much information as we can so people can make an informed decision," said Monroe School District Business Manager Ron Olson.
The district has pledged to make $494,652 in cuts in the 2011-12 school year - regardless of whether a referendum is approved. With retirements, the district could cut as much as $557,090.
Those cuts, which could come with or without referendum money, include personnel - a teacher at the virtual school; a core classroom teacher at the middle school; a technology education teacher at the high school; a special education teacher; an elementary playground supervisor; a high school study hall supervisor; 0.4 full-time equivalent position in business education at the high school; and $150,000 from the district's technology budget. Officials also approved cuts of 5 percent, or $24,500, to co-curricular activities at the high school.
Without a referendum, the district is projected to have deficits of about $1.6 million in the 2011-12 school year; $2.3 million in the 2012-13 year; $3 million in 2013-14 school year; and $3.6 million in the 2014-15.
Monroe Superintendent Larry Brown said state budget woes won't affect the referendum on the spring ballot. However, it could have a devastating effect on school districts statewide. Brown updated the board on an analysis by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards he reviewed. In Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair plan that will undergo a public hearing today, school districts could be faced with a state aid reduction of $500 per pupil. The budget repair bill also includes provisions for public employees to pay 12.6 percent of heath insurance premiums and for public employees to pay about five percent of WRS payments. The bill also would require school districts to base Qualified Economic Offers on the Consumer Price Index.
Brown said a pair of budget repair sections are being considered to offset the reduction in state aid. He said that the state is looking to cut $900 million over the two-year budget.
Brown said he doesn't expect any budget adjustments would be required this year.
When Brown was informed that there will be a 1 1/2 hour public hearing starting at 10 a.m. today, he said he was surprised, considering the virtual school hearing lasted several days. Lawmakers could vote on the Walker bill by the end of the week.
"I think it's a political anomaly it will be done that quick," Brown said.
The district is at the end of its four-year, non-recurring referendum, in which voters allowed the district to exceed state revenue caps by $8.3 million. The district was able to make cuts in administration and other areas over the past four years, using a little more than $4 million of the total amount authorized by the last referendum.
If the referendum fails, the board has targeted $489,734 in a first round of cuts for 2011-12 and $478,550 in a second round of cuts. The first round of cuts, if a referendum failed, includes slashing $100,000 in maintenance and $50,000 from the technology budgets district-wide. The other cuts planned, if the referendum fails, include three special education aides at the high school; 1.5 full-time custodial positions at elementary schools; a full-time elementary grade level teacher; a full-time teacher and secretary at the virtual school; and gifted overloads at the elementary schools.
The district also could cut a half-time custodial position at the middle school and high school and ninth-hour overloads at the middle school.
Olson said details are still being worked out in the state budget, such as whether the state will base a state aid reduction statewide or whether summer school enrollment numbers will be factored in. He also said the state health insurance premium increase may only apply to districts who access the state's health care pool. The Monroe district doesn't use the state's health insurance pool.
"I think it will make our job more challenging," Brown said of the state budget negotiations. "It will certainly blur our message."
The district has developed an information distribution team that will develop a referendum brochure in preparation of a series of public meetings planned for March, although the dates have not yet been determined. The district also has developed a community presentation team that will work with organizations. And there is a staff team that is updating district employees on the issues in the referendum.
The last team the district established is a youth team that will educate young voters.
"Hopefully, over the next seven weeks we will put together as much information as we can so people can make an informed decision," said Monroe School District Business Manager Ron Olson.
The district has pledged to make $494,652 in cuts in the 2011-12 school year - regardless of whether a referendum is approved. With retirements, the district could cut as much as $557,090.
Those cuts, which could come with or without referendum money, include personnel - a teacher at the virtual school; a core classroom teacher at the middle school; a technology education teacher at the high school; a special education teacher; an elementary playground supervisor; a high school study hall supervisor; 0.4 full-time equivalent position in business education at the high school; and $150,000 from the district's technology budget. Officials also approved cuts of 5 percent, or $24,500, to co-curricular activities at the high school.
Without a referendum, the district is projected to have deficits of about $1.6 million in the 2011-12 school year; $2.3 million in the 2012-13 year; $3 million in 2013-14 school year; and $3.6 million in the 2014-15.
Monroe Superintendent Larry Brown said state budget woes won't affect the referendum on the spring ballot. However, it could have a devastating effect on school districts statewide. Brown updated the board on an analysis by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards he reviewed. In Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair plan that will undergo a public hearing today, school districts could be faced with a state aid reduction of $500 per pupil. The budget repair bill also includes provisions for public employees to pay 12.6 percent of heath insurance premiums and for public employees to pay about five percent of WRS payments. The bill also would require school districts to base Qualified Economic Offers on the Consumer Price Index.
Brown said a pair of budget repair sections are being considered to offset the reduction in state aid. He said that the state is looking to cut $900 million over the two-year budget.
Brown said he doesn't expect any budget adjustments would be required this year.
When Brown was informed that there will be a 1 1/2 hour public hearing starting at 10 a.m. today, he said he was surprised, considering the virtual school hearing lasted several days. Lawmakers could vote on the Walker bill by the end of the week.
"I think it's a political anomaly it will be done that quick," Brown said.
The district is at the end of its four-year, non-recurring referendum, in which voters allowed the district to exceed state revenue caps by $8.3 million. The district was able to make cuts in administration and other areas over the past four years, using a little more than $4 million of the total amount authorized by the last referendum.
If the referendum fails, the board has targeted $489,734 in a first round of cuts for 2011-12 and $478,550 in a second round of cuts. The first round of cuts, if a referendum failed, includes slashing $100,000 in maintenance and $50,000 from the technology budgets district-wide. The other cuts planned, if the referendum fails, include three special education aides at the high school; 1.5 full-time custodial positions at elementary schools; a full-time elementary grade level teacher; a full-time teacher and secretary at the virtual school; and gifted overloads at the elementary schools.
The district also could cut a half-time custodial position at the middle school and high school and ninth-hour overloads at the middle school.
Olson said details are still being worked out in the state budget, such as whether the state will base a state aid reduction statewide or whether summer school enrollment numbers will be factored in. He also said the state health insurance premium increase may only apply to districts who access the state's health care pool. The Monroe district doesn't use the state's health insurance pool.
"I think it will make our job more challenging," Brown said of the state budget negotiations. "It will certainly blur our message."