School rezoning plan will save less than anticipated
Anticipated savings down to $1.2 million
Board members, at the time the plan was approved, were told the rezoning plan would save about $2 million through the closing of certain schools with smaller attendance numbers. That number is down to $1.2 million, according to an initial estimate released by the district.
Because the school board has promised $4.7 million in improvements to schools affected by the rezoning - in particular Pearl-Cohn High - there is a gap of approximately $3.5 million for the next fiscal year. That gap does not factor in capital costs, which could be extensive considering Wharton and Madison schools both need significant renovations.
Neither does it factor in transportation costs, according to Interim Director Chris Henson. Additionally, the $4.7 million promised by the board assumes a differentiated pay for teachers of 5 percent.
No matter how large the gap ends up because of additional costs, the board members remained committed to writing it into the next budget.
"There is no room for interpretation here," board member Steve Glover said. "We have said, as a board, this is going to be a part of the budget package. We have said, pretty clearly, this will be a part of it. It's not negotiable."
Several board members said it was their obligation to provide the funds promised when the rezoning plan was passed in order to ease tension in the community. Some have called the plan a "re-segregation" plan because it makes certain schools less diverse.
"Generally out there, there's a trust issue with government in general and with the school board in particular," board member Mark North said. "My position on dealing with distrust is that the only way to do it is to be trustworthy.
"And we're going to do what we say we're going to do. When we make commitments, we stand by them. We plan to fulfill them."
The work session also included discussion for how to communicate to parents the changes as a result of the plan. Communicating changes as a result of the rezoning plan could begin in November.
1 comment:
I thought I would comment on the article, instead of the blog by Matthew, because I feel like I would be preaching to the choir if I responded after all the other comments.
So, about the article by Nate Rau…
$800,000 is a large amount of money to be off by in their estimated savings on the rezoning plan. I am in no way surprised though. Of course they over estimated in order to get the people’s approval and then said “oops” about the miscalculation. As I did with the government growing up in New Orleans, in the past six weeks, I have grown increasingly cynical about the school boards. I have absolutely no reason to believe that any elected official is purely selfless, as they would need to be to reach our ideals. Schools are a business. They are run like factories.
Too bad the government did not think to vote on a bailout plan for our schools.
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