News and information for staff members and the Madison community
Vol. I No. 6 - May 2, 2006
Superintendent Art Rainwater, along with school board members Carol Carstensen Johnny Winston, Jr., unveiled the proposed budget for the 2006-07 school year, which would require a $6.9 million cut from the district's 2005-06 budget.
Total spending under the proposed budget is $332,947,870, which is an increase of $11,012,181, or 3.4% over 2005-06. The increase of 2.6% allowed under revenue limits, plus other fund increases or expenditures, make up the whole proposed budget. The property tax levy would increase by $11,626,677, or 5.8% to $211,989,932.
Rainwater said, "These cuts from the budget were difficult to make. This process is never easy." He said that the reduced clerical support at the schools could affect the schools' ability to respond rapidly to parent requests and other contacts.
Despite the budget cuts that are necessary, the proposed budget protects resources to continue small class size in the elementary grades, along with student support services district-wide and security efforts in the schools. The proposal creates a $20 student activities fee at the high school level, increases the textbook fee for all students from $25 to $35, and increases the activity fee for middle school students from $12 to $22.
The budget eliminates 93 positions, including five administrator positions, reduced support from clerical staff and educational assistants, and reduces the number of unallocated teacher positions. If the district were doing everything today that it was doing in 1993 when state-imposed revenue limits began, it would have $45.8 million more in the district budget, including 526 more staff members (the figures do not add the proposed changes for 2006-07).
The Board of Education will hold public hearings on the proposed budget at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2 in the La Follette High School auditorium, and at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 9 in the Memorial HS auditorium. School Board members have a May 19 deadline to submit budget amendments and plan to discuss the budget on May 22. The board could finalize a working budget on May 25, or continue deliberations into June.
Last Updated: Fri Sep 7 03:02:58 2007
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