One person wants the Farmington School District to sell its teacher lesson plans over the Internet.
Another wants to change how the janitors clean and the equipment they use.
A third wants to do away with the School Dude, a software program used by custodians to track work orders.
Those are just some of the nearly 300 suggestions that have come from residents, parents, consultants, teachers, school board members, administrators and students about how Farmington can save almost $5 million during the next five years.
"The goal here is long-term systemic change," said Jim Skelly, the school district spokesman. "It's trying to create a different approach to the same old problems."
In the past couple of years, the district has eliminated positions, allowed class sizes to increase or scaled back purchases in order to make ends meet, school officials said.
This year the district is taking the unusual step of asking the community for suggestions to adjust the budget and to reinvent the district for fiscal and educational reasons.
"No idea is too crazy, too outlandish," said school Superintendent Jay Haugen, who for the past month has traveled the district collecting ideas, suggestions and comments not only about the budget gap but also about the very makeup of the district.