Schools
District 279 Revises Budget Proposals, Reduces Impact to Athletics
After two lengthy work sessions, school board members propose to make more non-instructional budget cuts. A final budget decision will be made in March.
As Osseo Area Schools prepares to cut $11 million over two years, school board members have been hard at work trying to adjust the budget proposal before a final decision is made on March 5.
Related: District 279 Budget Proposals Suggest Cutting $3 Million Next Year
On Feb. 19 and 27, board members met for hours to refine the proposed budget that was discussed in a Feb. 5 meeting. During the work sessions, a number of changes were made that, if accepted in March, will impact athletics and transportation, among other areas.
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Where Will More Cuts Be Made?
According to budget documents on the district's website, board members decided to increase the cuts to non-instructional dollars from $373,588 to $431,944.
Recommendations now include the elimination of two technology positions, instead of just one. There would also be a reduction of interschool deliveries and less site testing support.
General transportation cuts would also increase from $79,000 to $162,866. Documents show that about 83,000 additional dollars would be cut from in-district transportation, meaning that there would be less capacity for transportation of students to in-district educational activities.
Where is Money Saved?
With an additional $58,000 cut from non-instructional functions, money can be saved in the district’s athletics department.
Previously, the reductions called for $164,300 to be cut in athletics during fiscal year 2014.
New recommendations show that only $123,500 would be cut, saving three wrestling coach positions.
Old proposals showed that transportation for swimming, hockey and golf would be compromised. Now, the district is looking at reducing athletics transportation by $30,000, impacting busing plans for all sports.
“Parents will be responsible for some transportation across all athletics,” board members wrote in proposal documents.
Find out what's happening in Maple Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
On March 5, the budget proposal will go before the board for a final decision.
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Related Articles:
- District 279 Begins Budget Workshop Process
- District 279 Looks to Cut More Than 70 Teachers in Next Two Years
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