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Clark County School District Superintendent Walt Ruffles speaks with reporters Tuesday afternoon alongside Board of Trustees President Terri Janison (left) and Deputy Superintendent Lauren Kohut-Rost. The school district released a survey that will ask the public how the district should best deal with a $123 million budget shortfall.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 | 4:14 p.m.
Sun Coverage
- Year-round schools could face calendar shift to save money (3-16-10)
- Superintendent Walt Rulffes: Schools need plan of action for success (12-27-09)
- Window opens for School District (7-19-08)
- Teachers resist increasing pressure to accept pay cuts (2-5-10)
- Budget crunch puts shorter school year, teacher pay cuts on table (2-4-10)
- Education cuts may never be healed after special session (3-2-10)
Sun Archives
The Clark County School District launched a survey Tuesday asking parents, students and taxpayers how the district should handle its $123 million budget shortfall.
During the special session of the Legislature, the state cut $78 million from the district. On top of that, local tax revenue is likely to decline by $45 million, spelling financial trouble for the district.
“Any items that were reasonably easy to cut have already been cut,” School District Superintendent Walt Ruffles said at a news conference.
Ruffles said the district’s goal is to make the cuts with as little impact as possible on student learning.
Ruffles discussed the survey at the CCSD Administrative Center, 5100 W. Sahara Ave., alongside Board of Trustees President Terri Janison and Deputy Superintendent Lauren Kohut-Rost.
“We’ve heard several times from people: 'How can I help?'” Janison said. “This is their opportunity.”
The survey was developed after the district asked employees where cuts should come from. The district received 18,000 responses.
The survey asks residents to choose whether they are strongly opposed, somewhat opposed, somewhat in support of, or strongly in support of 16 options that would reduce the School District’s expenditures.
Options include temporarily increasing class sizes by two students in grades one through three, which would cut 540 teaching jobs. Other options include eliminating extracurricular activities and cutting the School District police.
Another option would be to put all schools on a nine-month calendar, which the Sun reported Tuesday morning. If all schools are placed on a nine-month calendar, teachers at those schools would work 184 days a year, rather than 209, the superintendent said.
“That’s not as easy as it sounds,” Ruffles said. “The truth of the matter, it will have a lot of difficulties … a lot of employees will be impacted.”
About 65 percent of the county’s schools are on a nine-month calendar.
The tentative budget for next year will be approved April 7. The board will adopt a final budget May 19.
The superintendent said he favors furloughs and other options that would let more employees share a lesser burden, rather than layoffs.
The superintendent said the School Board won't favor parent or student surveys over those of other taxpayers.
The survey will be available to the public until the end of the business day March 24. It will be available at public schools, libraries and at ccsd.net/budgetsurvey. The survey will also be available in Spanish.
Cut everyone else before you cut ONE teacher.
I can make the school district end up in the black. Cut school administration 50% across the board. You can keep 2 teachers for every administrator you lay off. Sounds simple to me.
My kids' elementary school has 3 custodians. They need one at most.
This is a 'lose-lose' process for the public. If they don't survey, they are acting without public input. But when the survey is prepared by the CCSD admin, the cutting options have been limited to those selected for the survey with typically incomplete summaries of what is actually being proposed and the related estimated cost savings.
For example, I notice the survey separates "sports" and "extracurricular activities" instead of treating them as a single item without mentioning any specifics as to what is included in 'extracurricular activities' (which includes band?). On the other hand, the survey combines "cut school administrative positions and central office positions" as a single item.
Why do you suppose they combine central administrative positions with school based positions in this question???
Eliminate sports. Eliminate free lunches and breakfasts. Eliminate all of the administrators. Eliminate bi-lingual requirements.
I agree with the idea of cutting administrative staff over teachers. I don't like blanket cuts that affect all employees. I think they should have performance reviews and give raises to the good employees (mostly teachers) and put the underperforming employees on notice and cut their salary significantly.
I see a lot of support for cutting sports (and other) programs. Based on my personal experience, I think those programs do SO MUCH for kids. They have a reason to do well in school. Sports attract kids from all different walks of life. If you're good and work hard, it doesn't matter if you're white, black, purple, whatever. Sports have saved a lot of kids that could have ended up in a bad situation. I think the same goes for music programs, and other extracurricular activities. It keeps kids involved at school, and forces them to keep their grades up.
Sorry to go off on this issue, but I just wanted to make one comment in support of these programs and their positive effects.
Journey and Judy--get over it--school has never been just about the three Rs. Want kids to get in college and/or keep out of trouble? then you better advocate for after school activities like sports, marching band, honor society, etc.
Eliminate all of the things kids actually enjoy about going to school and you'll just increase the dropout rate. Total cost of these programs is $11 million. The District should not be suggesting these until all other administrative solutions have been addressed.
Have you seen the size of these kids in school? Fattest nation in the world and you FAT parents are saying get rid of PE and sports. Its the only 50 minutes these fat kids excersize all week. They wont live to see 40 unless they get proper health Ed and parents start making them excersize.
Eliminate all year round schools unless the school has attendance 20% above rated 9-mo capacity. Even if a school year starts and the kids don't materialize after the first month then switch back to 9-mo (the track 1 kids make up for the extra month next summer). We know growth isn't happening in the valley so when headcounts are done at the beginning of the year they'll probably only go down from there.
There is also a direct conflict of interest in determining whether a school goes year round - school administrators (the principals) are in charge of deciding whether a school goes year round. However they *also* get a fatter paycheck if they choose year round. Guess which one they'll choose if they are given the option?
"I am surprised the survey didn't prompt us to " press here" to continue in English. "
It did. The link above goes to a page that says...
English
Espaniol
"My kids' elementary school has 3 custodians. They need one at most." I can't imagine one custodian at a school. One custodian would be responsible for emptying the trash and sweeping the floors for every classroom and office. They also have to clean up after the students in the cafeteria. If a school has multiple lunches, that is quite a bit for one person to complete before the next lunch starts. They also have to clean the cafeteria floors, halls, and clean the bathrooms. Custodians are called in for emergencies such as cleaning up after a sick child or one that has had an accident. Even in a small elementary school, this would be extremely difficult. I believe that we take the custodial staff for granted. The staff at my school, ECTA, is amazing and they take care of the school.
This weekend in Carson City, 300 high-school students from over 25 schools will be competing in the Nevada State Forensics Tournament.
Speech and Debate (an extra-curricular activity) helps students learn to think on their feet, argue both sides of an issue, and speak before an audience. Many students who compete at the high-school level earn scholarships to college.
Most funding for Speech and Debate program is through student fundraisers, though funding to send teams to local and state tournaments is through the school district.
When talking of programs to cut, can the CCSD really afford to sacrifice a program that studies have shown improve a student's academic performance?
The article is incorrect about teachers at year-round schools working more school days than nine-month teachers. Only specialists, support staff, and principals work more at yr-round schools.
Cut taxpayers!
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COME ON, wego, you cannot be serious!
Think about the average home with 3-5 inhabitants
and how much work it is (if you do it right!) to keep it clean. Now, can you honestly say 1 person should be responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of a freaking entire large school building with HUNDREDS of kids and staff?
TOO FUNNY!!!
This is the mentality of too many Nevadans regarding public employees! You think they should be your damn slaves!
It's just not REASONABLE, you know?
"PARENTS CAN'T AFFORD SCHOOL - TEACH 'EM AT HOME OR GET A SECOND JOB."
In this economy?
Dude, if you're trying to be funny you kinda stink at it.
Judy Said "Eliminate sports. Eliminate free lunches and breakfasts. Eliminate all of the administrators. Eliminate bi-lingual requirements."
I agree with the sports, as long as it's just girlie sports. Boy sports are okay.
"I agree with the sports, as long as it's just girlie sports. Boy sports are okay."
Okay, would you like the Title IX lawsuit now or later?
The district put aside $20 million before all this and it has another $102 million in the operating fund balance and several hundred million more in capital projects and debt services.
What can they cut? How about privatizing transportation, food services, landscaping, custodial work and school maintenance?
Half of the school districts in Michigan already do this and they save millions of dollars each year....
Extracurricular activities, including sports, are
an essential part of the educational process. To single them out for cuts solely based on the fact that they aren't classroom activities, per-se, and not every kid is involved directly, is counterproductive to improving the future of our state's educational system. And Nevada needs a whole lot of improving. There's a whole bunch of good reasons to keep them, and only one reason to cut them out.
That said, (and this sucks eggs too) a "pay to play" fee, as a last resort, should be considered; but I'd bet there's already some of that.
listen up walt...
fire administration...
fire high salaried administration...
fire top 5 high salaried administration...
got that walt...
useless you fire top 5 high salaried administration folks...
it will not look like you made any deep cuts...
it will look like you protected your buddies...
it will look like you really don't care about the kid's education...
got that walt...
To the people who think an elementary school can get by with one custodian, that is completely ridiculous. The main custodian handles cleaning as well as maintenance issues. The room cleaning is done by an evening custodian (which I think is a part-time position).
If the district is really serious about making cuts of non-essentials first, get rid of meaningless positions such as the made-up one for Mary Ella Holloway who is in charge of "teacher morale."
StupiderThanYou Said, "How about cutting funding to all the schools on the east side of that valley? They're all doomed to be dropouts anyway. Might as well not even bother trying to educate those savages."
Shame on you! I teach on The East Side of the Valley and CANNOT believe someone could be so ignorant as to even make this comment! My own daughter will graduate next year from an east side school. Not enough credit is given to the teachers and administration for the progress that is being made in these schools! Most of these students are EXTREMELY bright, they just need someone to show they care. They will perform well with high expectations!
I see Pat is back in his Think Tank!
You will save bucko's privatizing Transportation, but the customers will NOT be HAPPY!
Wait til' you see who drives your kids to school NOW!
Wooooo HOOOOO!
C'mon, St. Patrick! let's all sing!
"The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round..."
And here's Patrick, selling the same swill he took up to the Legislature.
Nobody wants your snake oil, so move along.
There are currently dozens of CCSD teachers and support staff working at state prisons in Clark County. They have inmate TAs being paid wages as well. Portable classromms were recently installed at HDSP. Overcrowding? Less than 10 students per class? Yet we are looking at increasing class sizes for our children? These resources, staff and $$ should be diverted to the kids in town. GEDs are available to inmates via correspondense at their own expense.
random1...
Not to be argumentative, as I have no real knowledge of the prison educational system... HOWEVER, here's 2 facts you cannot dismiss as you decide to pull that plug;
Those people will get out.
Those people will become your neighbors & co-workers.
gmag39,
yes, inmates will get out and become our neigbors and for that reason, I sincerily hope they can succeed once released, but... most of the thugs will remain thugs once they get out, by choice. And return to prison. They just don't care. Teach em a useful vocation, but not music programs when they are cutting that in the schools. Not at taxpayer expense.
gmag, gotta love your sense of humor!
My 2cents:
Cut Administration by 20% across the board, starting with the ones who do little but look busy. You know who you are.
Go one step further by furloughing all remaining Admin and their staff one day per month, including Rulffes (or cut salaries an equivalent amount).
Outsource busing and require parents pay a small fee--done in many districts in the US since at least 1985.
Eliminate all overpriced, well-connected "consultants".
Cutting transportation or charging a fee sounds okay, but I'd hate to do that to families that can't afford it. We need for every kid to be given a fair chance to succeed, we don't need to hear excuses like "I couldn't get a ride to school". If you did implement fees for some of these services, I think it would have to be on a sliding scale based on family income.
We need to understand that the entire community benefits from a more educated population, whether you have kids or not.
Sorry but the 'motive' for wanting to do good in school should have nothing to do with sports and everything to do with being able to get a good job/career in the future. Most Park Districts, Boys/Girls Clubs etc have a lot of opportunities for sports minded kids - let the parents take them there, sign them up and PAY for it themselves - tax money needs to go for EDUCATION not sports activities and if you think you need to hold the threat of not being able to participate in sports if the kid doesn't get good grades over their heads to 'motivate' them try 'motivating' the kid by instead taking away their 'nintendo, computer, CELL PHONE and good old-fashioned grounding them! Stop with all the molly-coddling and start parenting.
azsk8fan:
Would you hold other extra-curricular activities like Band, Music and Debate to the same standard?
Those activities have been proven to improve academic performance and develop important skills that are often utilized in college and careers.
Gmag and Douglas,
38 school districts in Michigan now have private contracts with busing companies to transport students. They're saving money and at no determent to students.
Is education just a jobs program to you? I'm serious guys, what kind of solutions would you propose besides "spend more money" which is something we've done for 50 straight years (at least).
"They're saving money and at no determent to students."
No detriment huh? You got some stats to back that up pal?
And again, it may work in Clark County. It won't work in the rural counties, and that's a fact. 30 years of living up here back me up on this - no private company is going to want to take a contract in Nye County or Lyon County. There are too many miles and too few students.
So again, peddle your papers somewhere else.
1) You haven't tried so you can't say no one will do it. And frankly, if the county can do it, I'm sure you can ask for bids from private companies to do the same job. You just haven't asked.
2) If no company will come in, why not give the transportation dollar to the parent?
3) You didn't offer any ideas of your own.
Patrick:
I have told you FOUR TIMES not to e-mail me. Do it again I will report you to the Sun's web administration for harassment (continuing to e-mail someone after they have told you repeatedly to stop is harassment).
This discussion is terminated.
It never was a discussion, you don't offer any ideas. Grow up.
PS, I don't have a single message from you in my folder with any such request, nor would I keep track of such random requests if the email didn't already do it for me. But if debating with challenging and rational individuals who have facts instead of rhetoric truly upsets your singular one-true world view, you can always hit the block button. ;)
Patrick--seeing you tell another individual to 'grow up' is the most absurd thing I've read from you yet. And please, don't email me either.
What about the 1200 Million Dollars setting in the SD's Capital Improvment Fund? This for the building of new schools. Use it. What about Clark Countys Real Property Management Divison(RPM). Do any of you know how they work? Is anyone suprised, or chapped @ the amount of Money being spent to Construct/Build a New School? What Role does RPM have in escalating the Construction Costs of these Schools. Am I the only one who feels our Schools are Palaces? Why does it take 7 Million Dollars to build a new Fire Station? Why does it take several 10's of Millions, or more to build a school?
Fundamentaly Flawed: We give tax breaks to Parents for each child they send to our Schools. These are in the form of tax deductions. WHY should we tax those that use the system the MOST....the LEAST? The old argument that we are all in this together is BS. We teach English as a second Language...utter nonsense. Parents have not been held accountable for teaching, or motivating their own kids, that is the schools job. Individuals that have Role Models, and self motivation become what ever they want to be. We cannot "save" everyone. Many times, their place in society was established @ conception. It is our Education System that gives one the opportunity to achieve. Parents are the primary role models in a childs life. Teachers are not parents. School Districts are not Parents.
Start calling schools and ask to speak to the administrator. In most schools the administrators are always gone. They have weekly, bi-weekly, and tri-weekly "meetings" at the district.
School run fine without them. The secretary is the one that handles everything. I have known many admins. who make 85,000 and higher who play hookie all the time....golfing, shopping, getting nails, etc. done on work time.
Most admins. were crappy classroom techers. That is why they go into admin. They don't want to work. I can't believe how bad the admin. has gotten since the 90's. In the old days, the admin. was always there and was in your classroom checking on the teachers, and they knew all the kids' names.
Frankly, all they need is a roving admin. Maybe one per 4 schools since they are basically a useless entity....Sad but true.
Also, the district could save momney by eliminating all the useless "meetings" their principals have to go to. They have all these admins. there and they privide them with food all the time. What a waste of tax payers money!
Get rid of the admins.
DouglasDemocrat is a tattler. Waaaaaa I think we should all email him immediately.
Rough...
"Eliminate sports. Eliminate free lunches and breakfasts. Eliminate all of the administrators. Eliminate bi-lingual requirements."
I agree with the sports, as long as it's just girlie sports. Boy sports are okay."
Women pay taxes too.....
OMG! I've got it! The firefighters should be teachers during the down time of their shifts.
Random
"OMG! I've got it! The firefighters should be teachers during the down time of their shifts."
There is a problem with that. The elementary schools don't have gyms with expensive workout equipment.
2) If no company will come in, why not give the transportation dollar to the parent?
Yeah, Pat. That will work. Sure.
As to the CCSD privatization of transportation is concerned; Yep. You can save money. But you are giving up quality and control. The pay will be less for the drivers, and that will mean more bottom-feeders driving your kiddies to school. And CCSD already HAS the buses, radios, drivers in the saddle, safety program in place, etc. etc. etc.
Don't kid yourself, Pat.
You do get what you pay for!
But, by all means, if this is what people want to skimp on to save dough, do it!
As for calling Douglas & I out; I beleive we are entitled to post an opinion as freely as you are without ANSWERING TO PATRICK R. GIBBONS, a bought-and-paid-for mouthpiece of NPRI.
ruff says;
"Eliminate sports. Eliminate free lunches and breakfasts. Eliminate all of the administrators. Eliminate bi-lingual requirements."
I agree with the sports, as long as it's just girlie sports. Boy sports are okay."
Have ya ever heard such nonsense?
For one thing, the "free lunches & breakfasts" come from federal dollars.
http://www.ccsd.net/foodservice/1-NSLP.h...
Eliminating "all the administrators". Good one!
But highly impractical. If I have to explain it to ya, you would not get it.
Eliminate bi-lingual programs.
RIIIGHT! Another WINNER!!!
More fed dollars lost, and lawsuits up the wazoo.
"girlie" sports;
We'll let that particular gem stand all on it's own! A BEAUTY!
@ gmag39
By Judy
March 16, 2010
4:41 p.m.
Suggest removal
Eliminate sports. Eliminate free lunches and breakfasts. Eliminate all of the administrators, eliminate bi-lingual requirements.
-------------------------------------------------
I posted the crack about "girlie sports" trying to get a rise out of Judy. Obviously Judy is too smart to bite on the joke. It seems she is the only one.
Mama said, "Don't feed the animals."
I have been aware of Title 9 for a long time. I am a firm believer in high school sports. Football, Beisbol, Baskeyball, Volleyball, and any other sport. I resent the teachers trying to clutter the minds of our young would-be athletes with Math, English, and especially foreign languages such as Algebra. Please forgive me my past sins, I promise to never ever ridicule our public schools.
You in there Judy?
Rough...
got me there.
steve10...
Amen.
Here's a few thoughts. Eliminate all the spanish speaking programs. We live in America, and our national language is english. Right there alone, the the school district can save thousands of dollars on books,on printing fees for pamphlets/flyers,and on teachers. Is it a bit cruel or mean? Not really if you think about it from a common sense stand point.
Secondly, the Superintendent and the board of trustees/board of directors should take a manditory pay cut of atleast 35% to start with, and only get considered for a pay raise if graduation levels go up an/or testing scores go up. Gives them a little more incentive to work a lot harder than they are now. The Superintendent and his board should be ashamed for the job they have done with the students of this school district, and honestly none of them should be making 6 figures or whatever it is they're making with the way the graduation rates are. The cuts should start with them, and work their way down.
Yeahhhhhlvbarkeep9, You hit it right on the head there pardner,I second what he said. All in favor say aye, so be it.
gmag..:D
@TeaTime---I'm doin' the best I can over here. I never promised you a rose garden.
How many times do I have to say this . Cut the politicians pay and stop giving money to Jose for food stamps, his kids to go to our schools, section 8 housing, health care, and everything else he gets for free for working under the table and start making them one learn english and get a real jobs that make them pay taxes. If you dont want to be legal and pay taxes get out of here. And make it so that the government workers dont get their whole salary when they retire with full benefits because we only get SS yet when we work we have to pay taxes as well and only get 1300 a month from that meanwhile government employees dont suffer at all. 20 years and they are done so if you started when you were 20 at 40 but no later than 45 you could retire and not have to worry about anything. If we start at 20 we have to work to 62 to get SS but we have to take a early withdraw penizalation. And this is fair how? OOO and I forgot about the worthless police man and firefighters they get that nice retirement package. You need to start giving more money to the schools so that the teachers want to teach the kids. They are the most under paid job. If I was only making $36,000 a year and had to deal with a class room full of yelling kids I wouldn't give a sht either. So dont cut the money from the schools give them more and take away from the police officers and politicians retirement pakcage. Not saying they shoud receive a pay cut because they do have a tough job as well they dont need that retirement. They should have to learn how to save like the rest of us.
"We live in America, and our national language is english."
We don't have a national language. Never have.
The predominant language is English, but it's never been deemed the "official" language of the United States.
Not to mention that most of the bilingual documents you're talking about are mandated by the Federal Government.
Get rid of the illegal aliens !!!!!!!!! Why are we giving them a FREE education only for them to protest against the US with their marches ect. Let them go back to their homeland and get an education. They don't ever pay taxes.....Douglasdemocrat hit it on the head..Our language is American...Why is it we have to push 1 for english.
Bring back the rotary phone so WE DON'T have to push one for English.
We can't have an english as a offical language because all the illegals will moan and complain that it is racist...
Ok, ya start with Ruffles, hes makin way too much,and any mormon crony that he hired to milk the system. Then ya start cleaning out the TajMajal they built for all the over paid mormon cronys, then ya start cutting out assistant principals (most are mormon), When ya get done there cut out sports and all extra activities after school. that should save a bundle of money right there.
Mr. "TeaTime", *(I wonder if he has one of those "Barbie" Tea Sets; him and his buddy's have little "tea parties"!)
Takes one to know one!
You big baby.
Fedup
Exactly---I don't think Vegans know how much power the Mormons have in the county. They run everything....Mormons---Rory Reid, Bruce Woodbury, Tom Collins, Walt Rulffes, Senator Harry Reid, the fire department (60 percent Mormon), many others....That's how the fire department has gotten away with their outrageous salaries-The county commissioners approve of their salaries. I bet Harry Reid is pushing this health care because it will benefit the LDS hierachy/church some how...
EVERY administrator gets 24 PAID vacation days a year. How many PAID vacation days do teachers get.... drum roll....... Z E R O days a year. Walt, cut ALL vacation days a year. How many administrators does it take to run an elementary school? Well, I guess it takes 2-3 administrators..... Cut that number down to ONE administrator per elementary school. In middle schools and high schools there is no need to have one principal, 3 assistant principals, and 2-3 deans.... Cut it down to 3 administrators.... Save tons of money cutting those slackers. Do you also realize that if an administrator loses his/her administrator's job, the administrator can return to the classroom without a loss in pay and perks..... That's wasteful. If a teacher loses his/her job the teacher can become a Sub --- here's the catch.... that person does NOT retain her pay, sick days, etc. Hey Walt, if you're listening -- and really care about saving some dough, cut the administrators and their perks.... You would NOT have to cut any educational programs.
Another cost-saving point.... Bussing students should be done by CAT system.... Another --- we really don't need a police force patrolling our schools. Got a problem? Call Metro.... that's why we pay our taxes.