Superintendent Proposes Major Budget Cuts

Based on a survey of more than 8,500 people connected to the Shawnee Mission School District, Superintendent Gene Johnson formally made budget cut recommendations for the 2012 fiscal year at the Board of Education meeting on Monday.

In his plan, which is projected to save $8.3 million within the next year, Johnson proposed to increase charges for printing, increase bus fees and reduce the number of hours paraprofessionals can work.

“Limiting the number of hours we can work has the potential to be harmful to those depending on this job as a major source of income,” said Paraprofessional Teresa Bittiker.

Along with the work hour limitation, the plan aims to reduce the amount of special education staff by 33 positions covering 50 schools to save $1.4 million and save more than $2.1 million by eliminating 31 teaching positions, which will increase the pupil-teacher ratio for all grade levels.

Additionally, the plan proposes to eliminate the purchase of library books.

“This cut could prevent kids from learning how to do research,” librarian Chris Larson said. “Without current books, the students may not be able to learn the vital process of researching.”

The plan also affects students involved in sports and extracurricular activities as a $50 fee for participation in each sport, as well as for debate and band, will be enforced.  This action is estimated to save around $400,000.

Further eliminations will include a baseball, softball and performing arts coach from each of the five district high schools.

Mary Lee Duff, the parent of a student at Corinth and a seventh grader at Mission Valley, believes that the district has gone too long without including community members in on the decision-making process.

“I’m concerned that some other patrons in the district have made plans and that none of those have been looked at,” Duff said. “I’m afraid that they only looked at what was on the survey.”

She wishes that the district would invite parents, teachers, and other community members to help come up with creative ways solve the budget issues.

“The world my daughter is going to work in is going to be completely different from the world I live in,” said Duff. “We don’t know exactly what that is, but we have to be proactive in getting those young kids ready for that the future,”

The proposed cuts, along with reductions in other areas of the district budget, will be discussed at workshops on April 25 and May 23. There will be no final decision regarding Johnson’s plan until August 8.