MONROE - Monroe School District leaders, in the midst of budget woes and following a failed referendum, said they have evaluated all alternatives for trimming costs - including whether to make cuts to administration.
But the say such cuts aren't necessary, given the district's low administrative costs per students, compared to other districts.
"We looked at everything," Monroe Superintendent Larry Brown said. "That was absolutely part of the discussion."
The Monroe Times reported in January on the Monroe School District's administration costs, comparison to other Badger Conference schools.
That comparison showed that Monroe along with Portage, Mount Horeb and Reedsburg all have the least amount of administrators (11) of the conference's 13 schools.
The district reviewed a student facts 2010 administrative cost analysis from the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance. According to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, the average administrative cost per student in the state in 2010 was $913. The Monroe School District's administrative cost per student was $862, which was about 8.4 percent of the district's operating spending.
Monroe was the only school district in the area below the state average.
By contrast, Brodhead School District's average administrative cost per student was $1,108, or 11.1 percent of its 2010 operating budget spending. Three other districts spent at least 10 percent of their 2010 operating budgets on administrative costs, including Argyle $1,214 per student (10.8 percent), Monticello $1,145 per student (10.1 percent) and Albany $1,195 (10 percent). The New Glarus district spent more per student ($929) than the state average. However, that was just 8.3 percent of its operating spending.
The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance also listed student to administrator ratios and Monroe is below the state average of administrators, Brown said.
"The biggest issue we had to look at was the number of schools and responsibilities our administrators have to make sure our schools can operate in an effective way and make sure we can get a quality education for our kids," Brown said.
In the 2007 referendum that voters in Monroe approved to exceed state revenue caps by $8.3 million over four years, the district cut a half of an administrative position.
Before this year's four-year $8 million non-recurring referendum was rejected April 5, the district projected a deficit of $1.6 million for 2011-12. Without a referendum, the district projected to have deficits of $2.3 million in the 2012-13 year; $3 million in 2013-14 school year; and $3.6 million in the 2014-15.
The financial picture was compounded by the fact that there would be a reduction in the revenue authority after the referendum was rejected, an estimated $1.8 million reduction in state aid for Monroe in Gov. Scott Walker's budget; and a plan to reduce school districts revenue limits by 5.5 percent, which prevents schools from using property taxes to make up the difference.
School district administrators proposed a revised reduction plan that cuts 21 positions for next school year (14.4 teaching positions and 6.9 support staff positions. Of the 16 teachers in the district retiring at the end of the year, 10 of the positions will not be refilled.
Monroe School Board Vice President Bob Erb said there were administrative cuts dating back to 2004-05 that have put Monroe at the bottom of the conference for the number of administrators. The district also has some added administrative duties with a charter school and virtual school.
"We have a virtual and charter school here," Erb said. "That is fairly unique to the other Badger Conference schools. All of those other districts don't have that administrative burden. I'm not sure how you get that done (more cuts to administration) when you are below the number of administrators in the conference."
The additional cuts being considered due to retirements, layoffs, non-continuing contracts for next year include three elementary teachers, an elementary literacy coach, a middle school teacher, one high school technology education teacher, a high school careers instructor, 0.4 positions in business education, one guidance counselor, three virtual school teachers, one elementary special education teacher and one band teacher.
The district has pledged to make $494,652 in cuts in the 2011-12 school year. Officials also have approved cuts of 5 percent, or $24,500, to co-curricular activities at the high school.
With the referendum being rejected, the district is expected to slash the technology budget by $200,000 for next year and cut the maintenance budget by $100,000. The other reductions expected for 2011-12 include elimination of the ninth hour program at the middle school, eliminating elementary coordination extended contracts and eliminating overloads at the high school and middle school.
The other cuts are three aides, one hearing impaired interpreter, 0.4 playground supervisor and 2.5 custodial positions. Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said if the school board makes all of the proposed cuts, the district would still have a $635,640 deficit next year.
But the say such cuts aren't necessary, given the district's low administrative costs per students, compared to other districts.
"We looked at everything," Monroe Superintendent Larry Brown said. "That was absolutely part of the discussion."
The Monroe Times reported in January on the Monroe School District's administration costs, comparison to other Badger Conference schools.
That comparison showed that Monroe along with Portage, Mount Horeb and Reedsburg all have the least amount of administrators (11) of the conference's 13 schools.
The district reviewed a student facts 2010 administrative cost analysis from the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance. According to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, the average administrative cost per student in the state in 2010 was $913. The Monroe School District's administrative cost per student was $862, which was about 8.4 percent of the district's operating spending.
Monroe was the only school district in the area below the state average.
By contrast, Brodhead School District's average administrative cost per student was $1,108, or 11.1 percent of its 2010 operating budget spending. Three other districts spent at least 10 percent of their 2010 operating budgets on administrative costs, including Argyle $1,214 per student (10.8 percent), Monticello $1,145 per student (10.1 percent) and Albany $1,195 (10 percent). The New Glarus district spent more per student ($929) than the state average. However, that was just 8.3 percent of its operating spending.
The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance also listed student to administrator ratios and Monroe is below the state average of administrators, Brown said.
"The biggest issue we had to look at was the number of schools and responsibilities our administrators have to make sure our schools can operate in an effective way and make sure we can get a quality education for our kids," Brown said.
In the 2007 referendum that voters in Monroe approved to exceed state revenue caps by $8.3 million over four years, the district cut a half of an administrative position.
Before this year's four-year $8 million non-recurring referendum was rejected April 5, the district projected a deficit of $1.6 million for 2011-12. Without a referendum, the district projected to have deficits of $2.3 million in the 2012-13 year; $3 million in 2013-14 school year; and $3.6 million in the 2014-15.
The financial picture was compounded by the fact that there would be a reduction in the revenue authority after the referendum was rejected, an estimated $1.8 million reduction in state aid for Monroe in Gov. Scott Walker's budget; and a plan to reduce school districts revenue limits by 5.5 percent, which prevents schools from using property taxes to make up the difference.
School district administrators proposed a revised reduction plan that cuts 21 positions for next school year (14.4 teaching positions and 6.9 support staff positions. Of the 16 teachers in the district retiring at the end of the year, 10 of the positions will not be refilled.
Monroe School Board Vice President Bob Erb said there were administrative cuts dating back to 2004-05 that have put Monroe at the bottom of the conference for the number of administrators. The district also has some added administrative duties with a charter school and virtual school.
"We have a virtual and charter school here," Erb said. "That is fairly unique to the other Badger Conference schools. All of those other districts don't have that administrative burden. I'm not sure how you get that done (more cuts to administration) when you are below the number of administrators in the conference."
The additional cuts being considered due to retirements, layoffs, non-continuing contracts for next year include three elementary teachers, an elementary literacy coach, a middle school teacher, one high school technology education teacher, a high school careers instructor, 0.4 positions in business education, one guidance counselor, three virtual school teachers, one elementary special education teacher and one band teacher.
The district has pledged to make $494,652 in cuts in the 2011-12 school year. Officials also have approved cuts of 5 percent, or $24,500, to co-curricular activities at the high school.
With the referendum being rejected, the district is expected to slash the technology budget by $200,000 for next year and cut the maintenance budget by $100,000. The other reductions expected for 2011-12 include elimination of the ninth hour program at the middle school, eliminating elementary coordination extended contracts and eliminating overloads at the high school and middle school.
The other cuts are three aides, one hearing impaired interpreter, 0.4 playground supervisor and 2.5 custodial positions. Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said if the school board makes all of the proposed cuts, the district would still have a $635,640 deficit next year.