The Coeur d'Alene School District is considering several controversial solutions to a projected $6 million budget shortfall next year.
The board has not yet decided how to resolve this issue. lack. Additional meetings are scheduled for April 8 and April 11. The district is setting a June deadline to select cost-saving options.
“About 85% of our budget is people, and about 85% of these cuts are people,” District Superintendent Shon Hocker said at a budget workshop this week.
Shortfalls are caused by three issues:
- change of state public school funding. The district lost about $705,000.
- Enrollment has decreased by 460 students and is expected to drop by another 300 next year.
- Operating costs increased by approximately $2 million.
that much budget saving plan It proposes saving the district $1.4 million by cutting 19 teaching positions to align staffing with declining enrollment. An additional 35 staff positions, including classification, certification and administration, could be reduced in five stages, resulting in a total savings of $2.7 million.
“We’re assuming the worst and hoping for the best scenario,” Hocker said. “Maybe we can reach a middle ground.”
Closing schools on the east side of the city is also a viable option, but could cause problems in the future as more homes and residents are added to the west side.
“Keep it in our hearts. Closing the schools would save a million dollars,” Hocker said.
Approximately 6% of the budget would need to be cut, which could impact staffing levels, class sizes, number of open schools, programming and school week schedules.
Coeur d'Alene considers a four-day school schedule.
About 75% of families and employees prefer to move home. 4 days a week classesAnd the majority chose Friday as their favorite day. allAccording to staff and parent surveys.
The smell of Coeur d'Alene Survey of 13,400 parents, students and faculty, the district received 4,006 completed surveys last month, a return rate of about 30 percent. Approximately 841 staff and 3,356 parents responded.
“I think we know how people are feeling,” said Stefany Bales, director of community relations for Coeur d’Alene schools.
The nearest neighbor in the area Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy, the thoughts are very different. Academy leaders will stick to a five-day school week to benefit students. The Academy is a public school that provides a college preparatory education for grades 6 through 12. It has been approved by the Idaho Public Charter School Commission.
“The academy will still provide quality education for our students five days a week. And our students will continue to lead the state. I hope you, like me, believe that the answer to the state’s education problems is not fewer schools, but better schools defined by high academic standards and student achievement,” Dan Nicklay, the academy’s principal, wrote in a letter to parents.
He also wrote that every major decision a school administration makes should be based on what is best for students, not teacher retention, staff morale or financial gain.
Nearby Post Falls, Boundary County and West Bonner have all moved to four-day schedules. Avery, Kellogg, Kootenai, Mullan, Plummer-Worley, St. Maries and Wallace use a 5-day model.
Lakeland faces a $1 million budget shortfall and Lake Pend Oreille faces a $1.8 million budget shortfall. Neither region is considering a four-day option for next year.
But Coeur d'Alene is considering it and leaders await more legislative direction.
Hocker reminded the board that the Legislature is still working on specific education budgets, so any changes to the school week schedule should be left off the list of savings priorities.
“I can’t commit to changing the school calendar because I can’t risk losing facilities funding from the state,” Hocker said. This will generate $26 million over 10 years. “We can’t risk calendar schedule changes due to the disappearance of those dollars.”
Are students required to attend school 4-5 days a week?
CDA said the schedule changes will enhance the district's student achievement plan, particularly its professional learning community focus, which will result in improved academic achievement.
According to the district, the shortened week concept is well-established throughout Idaho because it offers a variety of benefits, including:
- By condensing instructional time into fewer days, students are often more focused and engaged in the classroom. Students retain information more effectively when they learn without interruption for long periods of time.
- The shortened week also provides valuable additional time for teachers to collaborate with colleagues, participate in professional learning communities, and attend training sessions.
- Switching to a four-day week schedule could save $1 million per year. By operating on a compressed schedule, districts can reduce costs associated with utilities, transportation and facility maintenance.
- With more days off school each week, parents/carers have more flexibility to spend time with their children. This improved work-life balance can strengthen family relationships, reduce stress levels, and contribute to overall well-being.
EdNews asked Bales to provide data showing the impact of a four-day schedule on student achievement. She couldn't provide the information, but she directed EdNews to the Department of Education and said, “I believe you can figure it out… and that's what we did.”
According to Nicklay, the cost savings are minimal and schools should consider the loss of teaching time.
“If you change to a four-day week, you will lose 40 days of school! Teaching and learning in 40 days less! Advocates of a four-day week point out that it slightly lengthens class times, as if adding 10 minutes to each class each day compensates for the loss of eight weeks of class time. That won't be the case. None of these general claims are worth discussing unless it is first determined that attending less school improves student outcomes. Probably not,” Nicklay wrote.