Spring Lake Park schools cut $2.3 million from budget

The Spring Lake Park school district will make $2.3 million in cuts and other adjustments to its 2010-11 budget.

The cuts, approved recently by the school board, come on the heels of $1.5 million in reductions made this year.

"We didn't have any extra programs," said Superintendent Jeff Ronneberg. "So cutting these services is going to have an impact. There will be fewer teachers at the middle school and high school level and fewer support staff positions. ..." Ronneberg estimated four or five high school teachers and four middle-school teachers would have to be laid off. He said the cuts and adjustments amount to 5 percent of the district budget.

Other budget-balancing steps will include cuts to activities budgets and reducing high school field trips, cutting back or eliminating computer and testing software services, and reducing the administrative budget at the high school and central district office levels.

The district anticipates savings from more efficient energy use and outdoor watering, and new transportation contracts.

Also, Ronneberg said, the district is factoring in anticipated revenue that will come when the district joins the Q Comp program, the state initiative meant to encourage performance-based teacher pay. He said a team of district teachers and administrators is putting together a Q Comp application. The application must still be approved by the teachers, the school board and the state Department of Education.

Ronneberg said the district got $400,000 to $500,000 in federal stimulus funding but avoided spending the money on teachers or other district services since the funding will be discontinued after next year.

Unlike many other school districts, Spring Lake Park's enrollment rose slightly, Ronneberg said. That's thanks to increased enrollment in the district's Lighthouse program for gifted and talented students. When districts lose enrollment, they also lose the state funding attached to each student.

Spring Lake Park is far from alone in facing budget difficulties. Numerous districts, starved for cash since state funding for schools has been frozen for this year and the next, have decided to cut next year's budgets. Districts fear worse is to come since the state faces a projected budget deficit of $5 billion to $7 billion in the 2011-13 fiscal cycle. Plus, the state has resorted to borrowing from the funding intended for schools in order to ease deficits and pay day-to-day bills.

Already, Spring Lake Park is looking at cuts for the 2011-12 school year. Ronneberg said that could total as much as $1.7 million, though that could be reduced with Q Comp revenue.