For Rulffes, it’s decision time for first-round cuts

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Monday, Dec. 8, 2008 | 2 a.m.

By Thursday, Clark County Schools Superintendent Walt Rulffes expects to have a rough outline of the proposed first-round cuts in the district’s $1.2 billion operating budget.

The state has told the district to expect 14 percent less funding over the next biennium, which begins July 1. That’s about $120 million, a figure that could change depending on the state’s fiscal outlook.

But the district needs to take action now, Rulffes said, especially given the possibility of layoffs. In addition to having to notify staff, determining who will be the first to go based on seniority, as required by contract, also takes time.

Although the School Board doesn’t have to approve the tentative operating budget until April, Rulffes said he hopes the School Board will sign off on his recommendations next week, giving staff and the public “an idea of what we’re looking at” before the winter break begins Dec. 19.

At two town hall meetings, participants said they want to see the district reduce administrative costs, including eliminating one of the region offices, which cost about $2.6 million each to operate.

The most likely to be dissolved is the Superintendent’s Schools region, created in 2006, which includes magnet programs and campuses with a focus on research and professional development. Each of the schools was previously served by one of the five geographic region offices.

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The Bond Oversight Committee was divided Wednesday on plans for a career and technical academy on the west side of Las Vegas.

On a rare 4-4 vote, the committee failed to make a recommendation to approve the project.

Though the School Board isn’t bound by the

committee’s recommendations, members typically like to be in accordance. The split vote left the School Board without a clear indication of how to proceed.

Board members will take action at this week’s meeting, giving staff time to put together a report on the potential fallout from delaying the project.

District staff said delaying approval of the project might jeopardize the location and the planned 2010 opening date. That in turn would mean a crowded Palo Verde High School won’t see relief until 2011 or later.

“There are ripple effects you might want to think about,” said Paul Gerner, associate superintendent of facilities for the district. “All of this has a certain momentum component to it.”

The district is investing tens of millions of dollars in the career and technical academies, which are smaller and more expensive than traditional high schools. Students divide their time between college-track academics and specialized career classes. Southeast CTA, formerly known as Vo-Tech, has one of the lowest dropout rates and highest graduation rates in the district. The Northwest CTA opened in 2007 and the East CTA followed in August.

Joyce Haldeman, the district’s associate superintendent of community and government relations, said the lack of support for the West CTA was more “philosophical” than related to problems with the proposed construction.

“This is more of a philosophical discussion — whether the concept, because of the price tag, is worth pursuing,” said Haldeman, who represents the district on the Bond Oversight Committee.

She views the extra cost that comes with CTAs as a down payment on the return that comes from improving the district’s graduation rate, and turning out students who are likely to contribute to the community in the long run.

Leland Pace, a longtime member of the Bond Oversight Committee who voted against approval of the West CTA, said he agrees it’s a worthwhile project. But, by the same token, directing those funds to older schools to upgrade the quality of the facilities and program offerings “would also improve the graduation rate,” Pace said.

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Frank Hawkins, a Bond Oversight Committee member and former Las Vegas city councilman, drew a laugh from the audience when he suggested one way of trimming construction costs at the district’s elementary schools.

“There are hallways I thought were too wide,” said Hawkins, who played football for UNR and the Oakland Raiders. “There are little people going to this school.”