Class sizes cannot grow any larger than they already are, Beaverton School Board members said Monday.
The board was offering its guidance on potential budget cuts for the 2013-14 school year during a work session at Sunset High School.”Class size is astronomical,” said LeeAnn Larsen, school board chairwoman, describing a class of 60 students in a pre-algebra classroom.
Board members were against any additional cuts that would increase the teacher/student ratio.
Beaverton may have to cut as much
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Class sizes cannot grow any larger than they already are, Beaverton School Board members said Monday.
The board was offering its guidance on potential budget cuts for the 2013-14 school year during a work session at Sunset High School.”Class size is astronomical,” said LeeAnn Larsen, school board chairwoman, describing a class of 60 students in a pre-algebra classroom.
Board members were against any additional cuts that would increase the teacher/student ratio.
Beaverton may have to cut as much as $23 million from next year’s general fund. That follows $37 million in reductions for this school year, which included layoffs of nearly 100 teachers.
“I can’t wrap by brain around cutting more,” said board member Sarah Smith. “We’re bleeding out as it is.”
Board members went around the room, each offering his or her thoughts about items the district’s internal budget team should keep in mind as it creates a list of reductions.
The team, however, is also creating a list of additions. But the chances of moving the budget into the black are slim. State funding would have to increase from the Governor’s proposal, local voters would have to pass a local option levy and PERS would have to be reformed.
Even then, said Beaverton Superintendent Jeff Rose, “What we add back into the system won’t be enough (to return all programs).”
The board will decide at its Feb. 25 meeting whether or not to place a local option levy on the May ballot. A consultant will poll voters this week and the board will base its decision on those results, Larsen said.
As for the board’s self-poll related to budget priorities, the words “whole child” were frequently used as board members described music, art and sports as among the items that should be saved from additional cuts to ensure a well-rounded student.
Most board members said the $3 million a year for athletics seemed reasonable given the value of sports in keeping students in school.
Cutting sports could cause other problems, said Jeff Hicks, board member. “Is the community prepared for the idleness of certain groups of students?”
Board member Mary VanderWeele suggested the district move to volunteer coaches as a way to save money. “Quality will suffer,” she acknowledged.
Music also gives kids another reason to attend school, among many other benefits, board members said. In addition, VanderWeele said, music “took a disproportionate hit this last year.”
The district would not be able to rebuild the programs suggested by the board, but rather, would spare them from additional cuts, if possible.
If, however, the district finds its funding level in the black and is able to add back programs, board members listed the same items plus technology and at least a core of teacher librarians. School librarians were eliminated and replaced by instructional assistants who are not licensed teachers.
Slicing more days from the school year was also a topic of conversation. Last year, the district and teacher’s union agreed to eliminate nine days over two years, but the board appeared to lean toward additional days in 2013-14.
Last year, parents demanded more days as the budget process came to an end, but the district and union had already agreed to the nine days. Days must be negotiated with the union.
Among the concerns about cutting additional days were students who rely on school for food. Many go without if school is not open. But VanderWeele said there are ways to provide kids with food during that time and suggested the district look at alternatives.
The district’s budget process schedule is available on its website.