Public gets chance to weigh in on revised Ann Arbor schools' budget-cutting plan
The public will get a chance Wednesday to weigh in on proposed Ann Arbor school district budget cuts that have been modified but will still be painful.
Although the district removed a controversial principal-sharing plan from the budget proposal after a backlash from the community, tough cuts remain, including the elimination of 70 full-time teacher positions and an end to transportation for high school students.
A public hearing, required before the board can vote on the budget for the 2011-2012 school year, will be held during Wednesday's meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at the Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor.
Taking a school bus home after a day of classes will no longer be an option for Ann Arbor high school students if the district passes its proposed budget.
File photo
The board is expected to vote on the budget at its second reading June 8.
- To view the district’s budget presentation, click here.
The district is attempting to close a $15.1 million budget gap for the 2011-12 school year and has outlined approximately $13.1 million in cuts. Increased revenue from schools of choice and raising the price of parking in the Pioneer High School lot for University of Michigan football games from $35 to $40 will raise a total of about $1.3 million and using a $683,000 in reserve funds will make up the rest of the budget.
However, it remains to be seen how proposed changes in school funding coming from Lansing will affect the district's budget.
District spokeswoman Liz Margolis said last week that interim superintendent Robert Allen was still digesting the news from Gov. Rick Snyder and state lawmakers’ announcement last week that the new per-pupil cut will be approximately $100 per pupil.
Allen and other district administrators built the budget around a new $300 per-pupil cut Snyder had originally proposed and a $170 per pupil cut from last year that would not be restored. The $170 per pupil cut is still in the state’s proposed plan for K-12 education, but the reduction in the new cut could mean there will be changes in the budget presented Wednesday.
The district was also spared the need to find another $6 million in cuts after the special education millage renewal passed in early May.
The elimination of 70 full-time teacher positions will cause class sizes to rise throughout the district, according to district officials.
Those class sizes are expected to be:
- Kindergarten through second grade: 23-25 students per class, up from 19-21
- Third grade through fifth grade - 26-30 students per class, up from 23-27
- Sixth through twelfth grade — 30 students per class, up from 28
The elimination of those 70 positions are expected to save the district about $6.3 million. Margolis said about 45 of the positions will be eliminated through retirements.
Eliminating high school bus service and after-school shuttles at middle schools would save the district a little less than $1.5 million, Allen said. About 4,700 students at the high school level are eligible for transportation and only one-third actually use the transportation services, Allen said. The district has been in discussions with the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority to work out plans to allow more high school students to take AATA buses.
School districts are not required under Michigan law to transport regular education children if the school board decides against providing the service, but they must provide transportation to special education students if a committee has determined it’s necessary.
Here are a few of the other cuts laid expected to be included in Wednesday’s first reading of the budget:
- Elimination of one support position, renegotiated natural gas contract, elimination of two positions in the information technology department, reduction in maintenance costs, elimination of one support position in human resources and a cut to legal fees will save $2.142 million
- Step freeze in wages negotiated with the Ann Arbor Education Association to save about $1.1 million, health care savings of about $1 million and supplemental pay reductions of about $500,000
- Discretionary budgets reduced to save $500,000, reducing noon hour supervisors in elementary schools to save $200,00, building budget transfers reduced by $100,00 and transfers to athletic departments reduced by $475,000
Comments
Basic Bob
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 10:11 a.m.
These cuts are targeted toward outlying parts of the districts. Do the mayor's Montgomery Burns Park friends ever feel the bite? No, because their kids walk to school anyway, or get rides from mom and dad on their way to the U. Once again, we are cutting necessary services while keeping an exclusive downtown high school catering to rich kids open (as if the other three stink). If we can't afford six high schools, then close one, already!
ViSHa
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 9:59 p.m.
they also get the "good" principals.
snapshot
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 4:12 a.m.
DonBee is right on the "money" which I will be withholding by voting no on all miliages until I see a willingness from educators to contribute constructively to bring costs in line with revenues and truly functioning in the childrens's best interests. I don't see that now because educators are failing to compete for the incentive monies they could get from veriifiable improvements. I'm all for Snyder's "tough love" someone needed to intervene in the financial "love fest" that all government employees have enjoyed the over the last 20 years. Good for you governor, keep up the good work. It is the equivalent of a forced financial education for seemingly closed minded educators.
motheroffour
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 1 a.m.
Just In: King School principal is moving to Mitchel School. Where is the Mitchel Scool principal going? Get ready new school wherever it is. Your children will soon become pawns or experimantal specimens in educational research. It doesn't matter if they learn anything. What matters is if we can promote ourselves for accomplishing so little.
motheroffour
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 12:36 a.m.
Get ride of Mike Mdison and Dickensen-Kelly and not only will you improve education you will save about $230,000/year in salaries.
motheroffour
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 12:34 a.m.
This is what happens when you put a very marginal accountant into a position which he has no absolutely no understnding and surronding him with the biggest group of administrative slackers this side of Kilpatrick regime. You have adminsitrators like Dickensen-Kelly that suck the system dry on pie in the sky program of the week philisophies. Add in a couple of Mike Madisons who hide their own PTO budgets to disguise their own mistakes. You wonder where the money went? Get ride of these people. The soultion: is to first find a good accountant. the second is to place responsiblity on Dickensen-Kelly. She either performs or goes. Her job is not to just sit in an Ivory Tower and give directions and then complain when they don't work. Madison has survived by simply being a" yes" person to Dickensen-Kelly's financial coverup . Ask Mr. Madison is he can ccount forhis own PTO money. Ask Dicken-Kelly how much money she has wasted on unproven programs and the changing them almost dialy to cover her own foolishness. Ask Dickensen-Kelly why she did not follow through with her retirement. That must be a very interesting cover-up Where is the money people-Bad, bad, bad.. Shame on us for letting these people run our schools. Step down Madison and Dickensen-Kelly or show us the PTO books. Show us the money you have wasted. Blame someone else is the only way you can survive.
A Voice of Reason
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 9:51 p.m.
One more thing..Make the teacher's contract negotiations public. Talk about lack of transparency.
A Voice of Reason
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 9:49 p.m.
Hey, let's make that teacher's contract public like other cities do. We should get to see what is being negotiated while our kids get large classrooms. Also, let's cut down the 14 days of vacation that teacher's get which cost an extra $1400 in sub bills. Remember, teacher work 65% of all days possible work days, and have full healthcare and a pension for life. Get rid of Liz Margolis--do we need a PR person? Also, get rid of the Foundation. Just spending/wasting money already in the system and not really raising much new money vs. high expenses. Answer was to hire Wendy C. full time and give her a staff person. Time for her to go.
motheroffour
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 12:47 a.m.
JUST IN-How come the good principals are being forced to move and the bad ones stay. Just head that King Elementary will loose their principal. Moving to Mitchell. What other moves are in the works. Where would the current Mitchel Principal be moving? Hold on new PTO at a new school you are going to get a real peach. Ha, H, ha ha...... all the way to Dickensen-Kelly's longevity bonus.Who ever it is beware... you are getting the bottom of the bowl.
motheroffour
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 12:41 a.m.
Margolis came from the failed marketing grupo at the AAPS. The one that did all the interviewing at the local hospital nurseries and determined that young parents want eraly schooling for their children. Yikes-what a enlightening finding at an outregeous cost. the district spent a lot of money in this instance and it ended up as another failed venture. Ask Margolis wht type of eample she is setting.
sh1
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 12:35 a.m.
Fact Check: #1. You seem confused between sick days and vacation days. #2. Subs are paid $75/day, not $100. #3. Show the math on your 65% data. #4. The Ed. Foundation relies on donations. How would getting rid of that save money? And when you find all the teacher perks in that contract, let us know.
Kyle Feldscher
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 9:58 p.m.
AVR- The teachers union contract is public information. Here's the link to all AAPS bargaining agreements. <a href="http://www.a2schools.org/aaps/hrs.home/employee_bargaining_unit_contracts" rel='nofollow'>http://www.a2schools.org/aaps/hrs.home/employee_bargaining_unit_contracts</a>
A2Girl63
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 7:17 p.m.
Can anyone tell me where all the pay to participate fees go. Or what about the monies made when the schools rent out their stadiums or fields . From experience those folks cashing those checks is slower than molases because they sit on those funds for six months or more.
AMOC
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 9:18 p.m.
A2Girl- Those pay-to-play fees go into the athletic department budget, to supplement the $3M we pay fro athletics out of the districts' general fund. The same goes for athletic field or gym rentals, though the schools almost always and only rent these spaces to school-related groups like the PTO or specific team booster clubs. The HS's refuse to rent their pools or auditoriums, and the middle school pools are almost always busy with Rec & Ed classes, so there isn't any revenue there. The parking-at-Pioneer money goes into the district's general fund. I believe the rental income from occasional community group uses of the middle school auditor iums and cafetoriums also end up in the general fund, but I haven't checked the posted budget to be sure of that last.
alarictoo
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 5:56 p.m.
Hmmmm... Looks like the schools won't be getting that $200 per pupil back. <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/michigan-senate-passes-470-per-pupil-education-funding-cut/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/michigan-senate-passes-470-per-pupil-education-funding-cut/</a> (Follow the link to the Detroit News story which has all the real meat.)
Carole
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 1:51 p.m.
These are tough times, and all need to start tightening their belts -- Just as the city tightens their belt by wishing to lay off AAFD and AAPD folks who are critical to the safety of the city, AAPS wishes to lay off teachers instead of looking at ways of saving funding. Possible way funds could be saved: -reduce the $65,000 salary increase for the new superintendent - Dr. Roberts took a decrease in his salary (which was no where near the new salary) when the mileage failed -AAPS employees do the work that they were hired to do instead of contracting work outside -eliminate extra principals at the secondary schools -- -afterschool transportation is really the responsibility of individual parents --should not be coming out of educational fund -those issues that squidlover quoted in his/her comments Cutting noon hour employees could be somewhat alarming, having been one for many years. But, I agree a good hard look needs to be directed in that direction. There is a great deal of waste in food, and how much are we really paying to have that service. Our children are out most precious possessions, and we as parents, teachers, and workers with children must insure that they are given every opportunity to succeed. It must start in the home and carried forward.
jns131
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 1:49 p.m.
This might be good news for Ypsilanti to remove Trinity from helping out with busing. Since they are going to remove hi school drivers they won't need at least 25 or more drivers for these runs. Because WISD owns them they can't be laid off but reorganized to the other districts. I was also told Ann Arbor can't keep drivers because of the way transportation and WISD handle their employees. A lot of disrespect I hear. At any rate, going to be interesting with Willow Run and Ypsilanti with a possible merger and Ann Arbor laying off drivers again. Wow. What a concept. Ours take the public bus due to the disrespect ours gets from the school bus drivers. Time to rethink busing. It does work. Parents just don't want to make it work. IMO.
Greg
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 1:47 p.m.
Sadly, in tough times everyone is affected, not just some. Ann Arbor has been building incredibly nice expansive (and expecsive) schools and had many good years with large budgets and many niceties to go with it. Wasn't likely to be able to last forever and hasn't. Budget cuts are needed and this is a good start. When in tough times, it is necessary to get back to the basics of what is needed to be taught. Somehow the list of what is truly needed has multiplied over the decades and while many of the things are nice (sports and arts come to mind) they are not core requirements despite what some demand. Teach what is needed and when times are better, add the niceities back in.
schoolsmuse
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 1:24 p.m.
Kyle--Given the proposed changes at the state level, how much LESS would the district need to cut than what the budget currently proposes? Ruth
Kyle Feldscher
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 9:09 p.m.
Sorry for not responding quicker to these comments Ruth and alarictoo, I've been out of the office and away from Internet connection for most of the day. Yes, alarictoo, you are correct in your math there. As far as the strings attached for the cut, the school district would have to adopt Gov. Snyder's "best practices," among them capping health care at 20 percent, something that the district has already done. Beyond that, the strings attached are - I believe - still being worked out. That's the million (or 3.38 million) dollar question right now. Might get a few clues at tonight's meeting, but I'll be sure to pass them along when I know.
alarictoo
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 2:13 p.m.
If we multiply the $200 that they are now talking about removing form that $300 cut by 16,900 students (approximately how many students attend AAPS), then we see a change of 3.38 million dollars. So, that still leaves a budget deficit of approximately 12.2 million dollars. And, there are strings attached to that $200 per student. @Kyle Feldscher should be able to summarize those for us. Right, Kyle? ;^)
squidlover
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 1:15 p.m.
Somebody please correct me if I missed it, but when reviewing the budget plan, nowhere did I see the elimination of contracts such as the $341,000.00 spent to reduce the "achievement gap", or how much the administration plans to pay another company to perform another health-care audit instead of finding a way to do it themselves. If you have children in the AAPS, roll up your sleeves, because this is not going to be pretty for any of us.
DonBee
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 1:06 p.m.
With a new charter high school in Ypsilanti that has "after school" built into the program, you can expect some students will leave the district so that parents can work a full day. That may end up opening more slots for schools of choice and reduce the gain from that program. With cuts in teachers again the focus, the district will remain top heavy in administration. Yesterday's article on principals showed that. Instead of moving most of the grade principals out of the high schools and removing the need for layoff, the BOE and the Administration have decided to hold the line on administration and dump teachers instead. With 45 retiring teachers, I doubt when it is all said and done if any teachers are actually laid off. Yes, class sizes will rise, but I doubt teachers will be laid off. It is still the "Let's make the parents as unhappy as possible" mentality. The administration is still working to upset people in the district so they will campaign for more money for the district.
alarictoo
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 2:07 p.m.
@jns131 - The raises for the transportation supervisors are not an AAPS issue. That is WISD, and is no involved in the AAPS budget discussion. Additional administrative overhead, such as the transportation director being moved to a "Special Projects" Director is an issue that I think AAPS should address, however.
jns131
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 1:54 p.m.
What I have noticed about Balais is the fact that they refuse to remove idle administration and anything else just to cut the budget. Remember this, they opened up a position for the transportation director making $120,000 to custodial work supervisor. No layoffs there. Plus the supervisors in transportation made $40,000 and ended up making $60,000 after being rehired by WISD. So you tell me where the savings are. There aren't. Ann Arbor protects its own and expects MEA to do the rest. Good luck there.
jmac
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 12:38 p.m.
There was a long comment string a few weeks ago when these budget cuts were first proposed so won't rehash all of that. One issue that wasn't raised is that you can expect higher truancy rates if high school buses are cuts. "Early release" (e.g., half days) already suffer from lower student attendance rates. If transporation becomes iffy, kids will just stay home, or have to stay home, if they have no way to get to school or get back home after school. When both parents work 40 hrs/ week, there may be an ability to drop kids off at school at the morning but not to pick them up at 2:30 in the afternoon when 6th period is over.
AMOC
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 9:11 p.m.
Huron also has a substantial population of township students who are not served by AATA. I expect the high schools will have to relax their policies about students being required to leave campus within 15 minutes of the end of their last class, if only because the AATA buses will not be able to accommodate all the riders in that short a time, and working parents may not be able to arrange transportation at 2:30 or 3 pm.
limmy
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 1:19 p.m.
Pioneer has many students who live in the townships where there is no AATA service. It is a very long walk to school and this will definitely affect some one them. I agree, there will be more absenteeism.
Tony Dearing
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 12:32 p.m.
Comments were temporarily removed while we seek to verify information contained in them.
Betty
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 12:30 p.m.
A good start. I'm not sure if this is cutting "waste" but this kind of belt-tightening is what individuals and corporations have been doing in much larger %. Thankfully, the economy is improving foreshadowing the end of budget cutting for the schools. I expect 2 years from now many of these reductions could be reinstated
AAW
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 11:52 a.m.
you might want to make a few corrections to this para graph School districts are not required under Michigan law to transport regular education children if the school board decides against providing the service, but they must provide transport special educationation students if a committee has determined it's necessary. School districts are not required under Michigan law to transport regular education children if the school board decides against providing the service, but they must provide transportion for special education students if a committee has determined it's necessary.
Tony Dearing
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 12:01 p.m.
Thanks. That's been corrected.
Wondering
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 10:15 a.m.
Discretionary budgets reduced to save $500,000, reducing noon hour supervisors in elementary schools to save $200,00, building budget transfers reduced by $100,00 and transfers to athletic departments reduced by $475,000 Could you check the savings in this part $200,00, and $100,00