District begins laying off teachers

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - The Tippecanoe School Corporation school board voted unanimously to begin the process of laying off up to 150 teachers.

The district laid out plans to reduce its budget by almost $8 million by the end of the year during the two hour meeting at East Tipp Middle School.

Up to 150 teachers will be laid off. The layoffs will mainly come from art, music, physical education, media specialists and school counselors.

The recommendation also includes closing Battle Ground Intermediate School and relocating grades 3-5 back to Battle Ground Elementary School making it a K-5 school.

Parents said they are disappointed the board decided to go ahead with teacher and program cuts.

"I do believe there are other ways that they can do this without hurting our students and children," said parent Dana Gant.

Board President Janet Elmore said the district has look everywhere to find savings, and balancing the budget is impossible without teacher lay offs.

"I keep getting out my calculator and I put numbers in in a different order hoping they will come out to a different number later, and they haven't yet," Elmore explained.

Even with the teacher layoffs, the district will still be almost $5 million over budget at the end of the year.

"We fully expect to transfer from other funds to use any available cash balance we have on hand. Spend dollars from the Rainy Day Fund. Transfer funds from the Capital Projects Fund just to meet the year in the black," said Superintendent Scott Hanback.

Hanback said the savings from teacher and program cuts will be realized in the 2010-2011 school year and this is the only plan that provides for potential future financial recovery. Teachers' union representatives said they are disheartened but not defeated.

"I still think there are other areas of the budget that can be cut before programs and teachers, and we're not going to give up yet," said Teachers Education Association Co-President Heather Brooks.

"How can we cut corners without cutting our employees?" echoed Teachers Educations Association Co-President Ed Tilley.

The school board vote allows for the notification process for up to 150 teachers layoffs to begin. No teachers will lose their jobs until April or May ,when the board votes to cancel specific contracts.

Here's how the budget reducing recommendation breaks down according to documents provided by the corporation:

Elementary School Recommendations

• Art, music, and PE teachers will continue to provide curriculum at approximately 50 percent current levels. The classroom teacher would supplement as appropriate. Reduction of 13 to 14.75 teaching positions. Will save $247,000 to $280,000 in 2010. Will save $741,000 to $840,750 in the 2010-2011 school year.
  
  
• Adjust class sizes. Average projections range from one to three students per classroom. Reduction of 13 to 14 teaching positions. Will save $247,000 to $266,000 in 2010. Will save $741,000 to $798,000 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Maintain elementary counseling support at approximately 20 percent the current levels. This would be an 80 percent reduction in counseling services. Reduction of seven to eight teaching positions. Will save $133,000 to $152,000 in 2010. Will save $399,000 to $456,000 in 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Elimination of the GT math pullout position. Reduction of one teaching position. Will save $19,000 in 2010. Will save $57,000 in the 2010-2011 school year.

Middle School Recommendat

• Recommend changing the middle school schedule to a seven period day through the elimination of the Communications class. The day is currently eight periods. The current number of total minutes per day would be maintained. Each class period would gain instructional minutes and a homeroom period would be reinstated. Homeroom would allow for remediation, intervention, study, advisor/advisee and call outs. Recommend the nine-week class "Exploring World Languages" be dropped from the rotation experience. Reduction of 22.8 to 23.8 teaching positions. Will save $433,2200 to $452,200 in 2010. Will save $1,299,600 to $1,356,600 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Reduce teaching staff assigned to Middle School Alternative Education. Reduction of two teaching positions. Will save $38,000 in 2010. Will save $114,000 in the 2010-2011 school year.

High School Recommendations

• Increase class size. Some elective courses could be offered on an every-other-years basis. Expect Japanese may not be offered. Recommend reduce staff in art, business, chemistry, industrial technology, vocal music and Spanish. Reduction of nine to 11 teaching positions. Will save $171,000 to $209,000 in 2010. Will save $513, 000 to $627,000 in the 2010-2011 school year.

Recommednations for All Levels

• Significantly reduce or eliminate Supplemental Contracts at all levels. Will save $3,900 in 2010. Will save $7,800 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Maintain licensed Media Specialists at approximately 20 percent of current levels to oversee library operations. This would be an 80 percent reduction in Media Specialists. Literacy Aides will support the school library on a day to day basis. Reduction of of 18 to 19 positions. Will as $342,000 to $361,000 in 2010. Will save $1,026,00 to $1,083,000 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Eliminate remediation positions at the elementary and high school. Reduction of three to four teaching positions. Will save $57,000 to $76,000 in 2010. Will save $171,000 to $228,000 in the 2010-2011 school year.
  
  
• Reduce contract length for Counselors and Media Specialists commensurate with all other teaching staff. Will save $27,500 to $32,500 in 2010. Will save $55,000 to $65,000 in the 2010-2011 school year.
  
  
• Eliminate the Tippecanoe School Corporation Adult Education program from the Elston Community Education Center. Will save $16,667 in 2010. Will save $50,000 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Expect some additional overall reduction in force at the middle school and high school level as class sizes are reviewed and after the scheduling process is complete. Reduction of 41.2 to 52.45 teaching positions. Will save $782,800 to $996,550 in 2010. Will save $2,348,400 to $2,989,650 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   

The district expects the net savings after subtracting unemployment liability and teacher lane change and increment benefits to be between $1,475,201 and $1,735,600 in 2010. The net savings in the 2010-2011 school year will be $5,509,600 to $6,436,800.

Total Savings:                                    2010                                     2010-2011
                                            $2,518.067-$2,909,933             $7,522,800-$8,672,800
Less Unemployment (est.)     -$811,200-$936,000              -$1,318,200-$1,521,000
Less Lane Chge/Incr.              -$231,666-$238,333               -$ 695,000-$ 715,000
NET SAVINGS:                    $1,475,201-$1,735,600              $ 5,509,600-$6,436,800

Program Reduction Recommendations

• Suspension of the corporation paying for the early college program. It could be available to students with the parents paying the tuition. Will save $125,000 in 2010. Will save $250,000 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Reduce the number of extra curricular stipends at the middle school level, which includes athletics. Will save $55,000 to $65,000 in 2010. Will save $175,000 to $185,000 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Reduce the number of summer school offerings. Specific class offerings reductions are drama, 4-H, FFA, weights, SAE and ICE. Will save $60,000 to $65,000 in 2010. Will save the same in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Significantly reduce the number of extra curricular stipends at the high school level, which includes athletics. Will save $20,000 to $40,000 in 2010. Will save $60,000 to $120,000 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Suspend AP testing currently paid for by the corporation. No savings in 2010 as the district already budgeted paying for AP tests. Will save $16,000 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Reduce the supply budgets in the General Fund five percent. This includes custodial supplies, nursing supplies and office supplies. This does not include any student supplies. Will save $69,727 in 2001. Will save the same in the 2010-2011 school year.

Total savings: Will save $329,727 to $364,727 in 2010. Will save $570,727 to $705,727 in the 2010-2011 school year.

Facility Decision Recommendations

• Close Battle Ground Intermediate School for the foreseeable future. The building can be reopened at a later date. Will save $124,000 in 2010. Will save $327,473 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Discontinue payment of electric charges incurred by the summer recreations programs. Currently the corporation pays those utility charges. Will save $50,000 to $60,000 in 2010. Will save the same in the 2010-2011 school year.

Total Savings: Will save $174,000 to $184,000 in 2010. Will save $377,473 to $387,473 in the 2010-2011 school year.

Support Staff

• Custodial: It is recognized the custodial staff has been reduced by six over the past several months. Further openings will not be filled. When the cleaning, snow removal and other vital responsibilities of the custodial staff are significantly compromised, we will fill critical open positions with temporary workers. Will save $427,737 in 2010. Will save $760,420 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Clerical/Secretarial: Recommend that a freeze on hiring of clerical/secretarial staff be implemented immediately. As positions become available, staff will be reviewed for reallocation, if feasible. No staff will be recommended for hire unless all other options are unavailable and the position is critical and approved by the Superintendent or the Assistant Superintendent for Personnel.
   
• All Other Support Staff: Recommends a freeze on hiring all other support staff which impacts the general fund be implemented immediately. Not staff will be recommended for hire unless all other options are unavailable and the position is critical and approved by the Superintendent or the Assistant Superintendent for Personnel. Will save $122,363 in 2010. Will save $207,135 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Hire Literacy Aides: Will save -$116,395 in 2010. Will save -$232,790 in the 2010-2011 school year.

Salary, Wage-Related and Other Benefits

• A reversion of support staff salaries to the 2009 level is recommend effective July 1, 2010. This represents a three percent cut on current salaries. Additionally, it is recommended that all support staff salaries be frozen at the 2009 level until the board says otherwise. Will save $138,475 in 2010. Will save $276,949 in the 2010-2011 school year.
   
• Recommended that the board contribution to health insurance be cut to the active employee board contribution levels of 2008-2009 and be frozen at the level for the 2010-2011 school year. Will save $42,334 in 2010. Will save $127,003 in the 2010-2011 school year.

Total Savings                                         2010                                     2010-2011
                                                            $614,514                                  $1,138,717
Less Unemployment (est)                   - $35,520                                     - $57,720
NET SAVINGS                                      $578,994                                   $1,080,997

 

Summary of Estimated General Fund Potential Cuts
	2010	2010-2011
Subtotal: Administration	$220,831.12	$470,480.48
Subtotal: Classified Reductions	$614,514.50	$1,138,716.78
Classified Net of Unemployment	$578,994.50	$1,080,996.78
Non-teacher personnel cuts	$799,825.62	$1,551,477.26
Subtotal: Program Reductions (includes summer school and ECA)	$339,489.67	$641,914.00
Subtotal: Facility Decisions (includes BGI> & Rec. Utilities)	$174,000.00	$377,473.00
Programs & Facilities	$513,498.67	$1,019,387.00
Certified Staff	$2,881,932.69	$8,613,865.67
- Full-time employees, $57,000 each	$2,850,000.00	$8,550,000.00
- extended and supplemental contracts	$31,932.69	$63,865.37
Lane Change/Increment for reduced staff	-$238,333.33	-$715,000.00
Net after Lane/Increment	$2,643,599.35	$7,898,865.67
Unemployment Liability Estimate	-$936,000.00	-$1,521,000.00
Certified Staff Net of Unemployment	$1,707,599.35	$6,377,855.67
TOTAL	$3,020,923.64	$8,948,729.93

Projected 2010 shortfall: $7,832,092
Deficit in 2010: $4,811,168.36
Balanced in 2010-2011: $1,116,637.93

With these reductions, the corporation may see a future restoration of operating funds over about four or five years. This plan will require Tippecanoe School Corporation to use $4.8 million cash in 2010. No other plan the corporation has seen provides any potential future financial recovery.