School budget cuts are OK’d

Terry Webster

Friday, Jan. 26, 2001 | 11:30 a.m.

Positions were frozen and programs were eliminated Thursday as the Clark County School Board approved nearly $18 million in cuts from the 2000-2001 budget.

Some of the high ticket cuts involved the elimination of the Pathways program for disruptive students and a dropout prevention program, both from the elementary education division. At the secondary education level, dean positions will be left vacant or reassigned and security for athletic events will be reduced.

In all, spending for the elementary and secondary education divisions was scaled back by a total of $1.6 million.

School district staffers blamed nonbudgeted arbitration awards and rising utility costs for the budget shortfall and presented a detailed plan on how to make up the difference during a School Board workshop earlier this month.

The board made the cuts reluctantly.

"It's going to make a major difference," said board member Shirley Barber. "Anytime you cut anything out, we all pay later. The thing that concerns me is that standards are going up, tests are getting tougher, and the money isn't there. We need more programs for remediation. And we need to start them even earlier."

The board also approved the removal of $5 million from the fund balance, a reserve account, and will begin charging justifiable costs to the building construction fund -- established through taxpayer funded bond issues -- to help offset the deficit.

The plan approved by the board has not been altered from the way staff members presented it, said Walt Rulffes, chief financial officer.

On another mater, Rulffes Thursday outlined additional money the district would receive under Gov. Kenny Guinn's budget proposal for the upcoming legislative session.

Estimates on the district's share of the spending plan include $7.7 million for academic improvements, $4.3 million for professional development, $8 million for early childhood development and $6.8 million for an early literacy program. All of the figures are based on the total amount received over a two-year period.

Rulffes said the early literacy model is identical to the one developed by school staff.

The literacy program's goal is to have all children reading at grade level by the end of third grade.