Schools get creative as big cuts loom

Hey, kids, how would you like to go to school for only four days a week?

It's nowhere near a done deal, but that's a proposal the Forest Lake School District will put forth in the coming weeks as it holds the legally required public meetings for any district considering such a move.

While shortening the school week would be a game changer for the district, it is just one of a myriad of suggestions, big and small, that Forest Lake and other east suburban school districts are gathering as they hunker down for the difficult budget days ahead. Together, they face millions of dollars in budget deficits over the next two years. Even the districts that aren't facing funding deficits are looking for possible cuts.

The Forest Lake School Board decided to hold the required meetings for the four-day schedule, "Just to be safe, in case they might decide to move in that direction," said district spokesman Ross Bennett. "We have no indication at this point whether that option will be fully pursued."

The district faces a $3.5 million deficit next year and a $2.5 million shortfall the year after.

Only one school district in the state has implemented the four-day school week -- the MACCRAY district in rural central Minnesota adopted that last fall -- and no others have applied. But last week, at least one other district said the four-day school week could be an option.

Other options being considered by various districts include skipping payments to already over-funded post retirement benefit programs, expanding class sizes, increasing activities fees, and engaging in talks with employee unions about salary freezes and the like.

The West St. Paul's district has asked parents, teachers, staff and community members, about 75 people in all, to help find savings. So far, the public has made about 100 cost-cutting suggestions and there have been 60 from the staff.

"We're trying to be very transparent," Brott said.

The South Washington County School District also is enlisting broad community participation in its plan. The district has a goal of cutting $5 million for the coming school year, even though it has a current operating surplus of $23 million. Projected operating deficits of up to $10 million next year and $13 million in the following year would otherwise "eat up our fund balance," said Aaron Bushberger, director of finance.

The district has an ace in the hole with its fully funded post-retirement benefits. Over the next couple of years, it could lower or eliminate the $2.5 million annual payment it has been making, which would have no effect on benefits payments.

One of two constant mantras of school financial officials is that 80 to 85 percent of their costs are salaries and benefits, meaning that most significant cost reductions will involve job losses. The other refrain is that there's nothing new about needing to cut costs.