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Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > October > 21 > Entry
Deep cuts proposed for Dayton schools
In a meeting this morning, Superintendent Percy Mack’s staff proposed deep cuts for the school district to try to head of a deficit next year. What may catch some off guard is that the board will consider $8 million in cuts starting January, and some of them — including teacher layoffs and eliminating some sports teams — would be painful. The board votes on these proposed cuts Tuesday.
Here’s a brief summary of what’s proposed. Look for more in Sunday’s Dayton Daily News.
Proposed cuts starting in January
As a pre-emptive move, the board Tuesday will consider $8.3 million in immediate cuts. Among them, the board would:
—Cut 135 jobs including 58 teachers
—Reduce the number of high school electives
—Eliminate foreign language in grades 6 to 8
—Reduce hours or eliminate 28 adjunct faculty at Stivers and Colonel White high schools
—Close Patterson Co-op High School’s automotive program
—Layoff 19 school bus aides for special education buses
—Eliminate high school golf, tennis, cross country, soccer and swimming
—Cut all middle school sports except football, basketball and volleyball
—Reduce groundskeeping, maintenance, food and custodial services
Proposed cuts starting July 1
The board said Saturday it intends to seek a 9.75 mill levy in May. If the levy does not pass, $18 million cuts will be instituted on July 1. Among them, the board would:
—Eliminate 198 positions, including 141 teachers
—Close two elementary and one middle school
—Strip Montessori programs from Jefferson and Horace Mann schools
—Eliminate all summer school not required by No Child Left Behind
—Cut high school electives by another 25 percent
—Cut adjunct faculty at Colonel White and Stivers by another 25 percent
—Eliminate either vocal or instrumental music at elementary schools
—Lay off all high school nurses
—Cut all elementary school assistant principals
—Cut one assistant principal at each high school
—Deeper cuts in maintenance, groundskeeping, food and custodial services
Even after all these cuts, school leaders say they still need to find another $12 million in cuts to balance 2007-08 budget.
Permalink | Comments (31) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Comments
By Jacqueline
November 1, 2006 2:45 PM | Link to this
Does all this include taking the arts from Stivers. That’s what most of the students are saying but I can’t imagine. I mean WE (the students) pay for that. How can they cut sports? With the rising issue of obesity in children, surely that’s money well spent. I grew up in a montessori program and cutting that from Jefferson and Hoarce Mann is… Horrible.By GTH7
October 25, 2006 4:05 AM | Link to this
Good comments, all. The two things that strike me are the perception that administration is top heavy and lingering resentment over the Ludlow building deal. Dr. Mack should address these issues first, before talking about cutting teachers or building administrators. My suggestion: put the Ludlow buildings up for sale. Of course, no one will want to buy them, but the symbolism would be good. Second, cut administration at the board offices to the bare minimum. The message should be, if you don’t directly deal with students, your job is on the line. Third, all Board members should forego ANY compensatino or reimbursement until the crisis is over. I know they don’t make much, but again, symbolism. Finally, the Board and the administration need to go, hat in hand, to every business in Dayton, seeking financial help in the form of donations, grants and partnerships. Funding from the state IS NOT going to increase. We need to fix this locally… without overburdening the taxpayers.By Caroline
October 24, 2006 12:37 AM | Link to this
I agree that the renovations at Ludlow were unnecessary. Why do we have school funds going to make administrators comfortable? Our students are trying to learn in the heat, the cold, surrounded by bugs and mice. They don’t have enough books, or workbooks. Teachers already supplement classroom supplies out of their own paycheck. Why do we need so many assistant superintendents? This seems like a waste of a lot of money. The students should be the first priority—this means that they need good teachers, supplies, and safe and sanitary schools. I’m afraid that all these cuts are just going to push more students out to the charter schools.By Scott Elliott
October 23, 2006 9:44 PM | Link to this
I’ll try to answer some of Retired Guy’s questions. (1) I first wrote about the impending levy and the cash crunch in May, so it is not a sudden issue. However, the school board’s urgency does track to the labor talks. The board argues it’s the state’s deadline for a five-year forecast that’s ratcheted up the alarm this month. (2) The budget numbers are what they are. But different interest groups (union, school board, etc.) view them differently and often will argue the same numbers paint very different pictures. (3) Read the story from Oct. 4 I referenced in an early comment for answers about the various factors at play in the money crunch. (4) The potential cut of high school busing would be a major issue, but for now its very far off compared to other proposed cuts that would come in January. (5) The maintenance levy for the new schools is not affected by these money woes. The new schools are in sort of an alternate universe, funded entirely seperately by the state and the2002 bond issue. (6) Cost over-runs on the Ludlow buildings did not significantly affect the overall district bottom line. They came during a time when the surplus was growing, not shrinking. But there was an interesting comment earlier suggesting shutting one building down during the crisis to save money.By Retired guy
October 23, 2006 9:01 PM | Link to this
I have several questions about the Dayton Public Schools’ funding situation. Why did the crisis suddenly hit the papers just as the teachers took a strike vote? Has anyone at DDN done independent research regarding the budget claims or have they simply reported what DPS released? How could $42 million melt down to a crisis in funding overnight? The charter schools do take a chunk, but not all of it. Has anyone noticed that cuts proposed for July, 2007, include eliminating RTA passes for high school students? What effect will that have on attendance and therefore further funding? Wasn’t part of the building levy a 1 mill piece for maintenance? How is that affected by the cut in maintenance? How much of the rainy day fund shrinkage was caused by unanticipated expenses of moving into Ludlow 1 and 2? I honestly don’t see any way not to support a levy. As much as it hurts, we need educated students and the kids of today deserve what we received. I just wish we’d get some straight, honest answers.By Barb Collins
October 23, 2006 6:25 PM | Link to this
As always with the Board of Education it is the board first and students whatever is left over. Perhaps there would be more money if millions had not been poured into the heating and air conditioning of the administrative buildings downtown. As students were sitting in sweltering buildings our adminstrative staff was kept comfortable. I can not tell you how many days my son came home sick in August and I believe one bottle of water was provided to the students during the month. I did not see administrators in those buildings sitting for a day with the students when the temperature in the classrooms of upper floors reached over 100 degrees. What was the temperature in Ludlow I and Ludlow II? What about state recommendations that Dayton is top heavy in administrators but not enough people at the school level so of course remove teachers from the building and principals because they have direct contact with the students, but keep the think tank people. Has anyone looked into the GPA of the sports that this district is talking about eliminating and what it costs to run a football program. What about the scholarship money that goes to students in the Arts so of course the adjunct must go because they directly are responsible for students. I hope every person who reads these blogs makes it their business to get down to Ludlow I and Ludlow II walk around and notice how nice the administrative offices are and then please get the the buildings that our students occupy and see who is put first in this district. We need the community, parents, business and church leaders to walk the walk now. Get down to the school buildings, don’t just walk through, spend a day it is certainly more than the Board or adminsitrators do. My children who attend DPS never see any adminsitrators except when they are there to take credit for what is being done.By Charterschool Hater
October 23, 2006 3:26 PM | Link to this
You are very correct oldprof but you have not addressed the issues I raised. Here are some cusrs that can be made that maybe could save some teaching positions. 1 One dispatcher in transportation on a 10 month salary instead of a 12 month, instead of current 3. Save 2 salaries and benefits. If you are going to have multiple managers on salary use them to do dispatching. What do dispatchers dispatch when school is closed? 2) One router instead of on a 11 month salary instead of the current 3 on a 12 month contract. Save 2 salaries and benefits. Train supervisors on salary to do the work. 3)You do not need a director and a manager. Deligate the managers duties to supervisor postions. You save One salary and benefits. 4)You do not need all the bus driver supervisors when school is shut down. Lay off all but one. They need only work when drivers are present You save salaries on each supervisor. 5)Hire routers who are competent in their craft. I can’t tell you haow many routes the drivers have to re-route and give to routers to fix. It is hundreds per year. You save overtime costs for routers who only should have to do thier job once not many times. Redundency is killing them. 6) Here is a real cost saver. Eliminate RTA HS transportation. You save several million per year. All these cuts I have mentinoed are in just one department alone. Look around the other departments I am sure you can find other cuts that can be made that do not sacrifice services to students. Also before you get going criticizing me oldprof, the routers, dispatchers, supervisors and managers are all non union, no labor disputes. Just elimininate them. HS students will get to school. But we need the arts and athletics so they get a well rounded education. Or else they will leave us for lack of a well rounded education. We do not need such redundency in supervisors, dispatchers, and routers, however. I do agree with you on the federal funding but these cuts do not come with federal dollars or non funded mandates. Times are rough. sacrifces need to be made. Cuts to student programs should only be made when everything else is cut to the bone. 3 routers and 3 dispatcers, 1 director, 1 manager and many supervisors is too many. I Didn’t even mention 2 accounts payable people too. Oh the redundency. Check out Larry Hoskins department, I am sure you will find more of the same.By Terri
October 23, 2006 3:20 PM | Link to this
According to Scott’s blog this morning the Superintendent’s office will incur just $78,000 in cuts. How about closing Ludlow 2? What goes in the building during the day? I’ve been to meetings and workshops there in the late afternoon. It seemed to be a pretty empty building. Meetings and workshops could be held at schools instead.By Mary
October 23, 2006 10:00 AM | Link to this
Dale and Bell Haven Alum think “outside the box”. I appreciate their comments, and think school districts need to think about radical changes in their ways of approaching education problems. Everyone needs to get real about costs, priorities, and purpose. Schools seem to be a little bit of this, a little bit of that, jack of all trades, master of none.By Belle Haven alum
October 23, 2006 9:07 AM | Link to this
One of the primary lessons I learned in business school is to manage by reality not wishful thinking. For quite some time now, charter schools have been competing w/ Dayton Public. However, instead of managing the system w/ the expectation of a smaller footprint, the board and administration decided to focus on reform and take up the harder fiscal issues later. The primary problem w/ this approach is that it did not acknowledge how dire the situation would become - just ask Ford. Many in industry, especially education, must learn that traditional systems can no longer expect to have complete control over the market; indeed, the sooner public school systems genuinely embrace competitive change, the sooner they will right the ship.By Paula
October 23, 2006 5:12 AM | Link to this
Come on Admin People Of the Dayton Public what is your real adgenda? If you folks at the top would get your act together there wouldn’t be this issue. You already tearing down schools. What ‘s next eliminate schools (educations)all together in the Dayton.By Dale
October 22, 2006 6:51 PM | Link to this
I am not a resident of Dayton,however the same applies whether it be Dayton or California. That is this “when Administrator’s talk about the need for budget cuts…They never say anything about cuts in their takehome pay!!!By Jessica
October 22, 2006 5:08 PM | Link to this
Where does all the money go? It’s funny that you ask that. Schools pay the same bills that you and I pay every month. Gas, electric, water, internet, cable, etc. All of these fees have raised. Maintenance fees have raised, union labor fees have raised. How long could many of you live if you never received a raise, let alone did not ask for one when you needed it most? Dayton Public has been desperately trying to pull themselves out a bad situation for years, one that has only gotten worse with the allowance for more charter schools (which or loosely regulated and barely held to the same standards are public schools) and school vouchers. These things cause the district to lose even more money. If the students in DPS are to receive a good quality education, they require the money to keep the teachers in the building. How safe is it for students in the evironment of Dayton Public to have even fewer positive role models available to them? Cutting teachers isn’t the answer, supporting your school and realizing that they face the same problems you and I face on a daily basis is.By Emily Collins
October 22, 2006 3:08 PM | Link to this
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I am a recent graduate from Ohio University with a full scholarship there in fine arts. In case anyone wondered… I got there because of my teachers and especially my adjunct staff at Stivers. It had absoulutely nothing to do with Dr. Percy Mack, I never saw the superintendents until the day of graduation, but you better believe I saw my teachers and coaches everyday, and for hours after school each day. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that anyone would consider cutting these wonderful people from our programs. Does anyone ever think before they take one of the few good things they have going for them in the Dayton system. Just a thought, but how about to save money we get rid of some administration that I never saw once during my 12 years in the system, or perhaps the two new fully air conditioned, plush offices the administration sits in all day.By Rick
October 22, 2006 1:20 PM | Link to this
I appreciate how the Board is addressing this now. If the levy does not pass, there will be a plan in place to keep the DPS solvent.By Scott Elliott
October 22, 2006 12:15 PM | Link to this
The board did, indeed, consider cutting the math and reading coaches. It looks like they will be able to move those jobs to grant funding, so they will not cost the general fund. There was some discussion about whether to put the coaches or assistant principals under grant funding. So far, the district apppears likely to use those funds on the coaches. Board members said they were convinced the coaches played a key role in math and reading test score gains.By sdswith5
October 22, 2006 11:53 AM | Link to this
For starters, why don’t they eliminate all those “coaches” that are in the schools to supposedly teach the teachers how to teach and gather data?By Katie
October 22, 2006 11:52 AM | Link to this
All school boards use the same tactics.They are doing the same thing in ColoradoBy Scott Elliott
October 22, 2006 10:20 AM | Link to this
For more background on the district’s financial crisis, click the link for “My favorite DDN stories” along the right side of the main page of this blog and read the Oct. 4 story headlined, “Labor talks, cash crunch hit city schools.” The crisis is the result of a number of factors. The dispute with the state over charter schools is only one part of the problem, but it is the factor school officials say pushed them into an urgent situation and is forcing the “hard landing” (to borrow a stock market term) rather than the “soft landing” they had hoped for.By Scott Elliott
October 22, 2006 9:43 AM | Link to this
Matt, I think you are talking about the voucher program, which was created and is administered by the state. Dayton Public Schools has no control over those scholarships.By Matt
October 22, 2006 9:18 AM | Link to this
I also had this to add to my earlier blog. I could be wrong but I hear that Dayton public schools gives financial assistance to some private schools which enables them to offer students scholarships so to speak. I would eliminate this right away. If parents want their kids to go to private schools they should pay the bill not the taxpayers.By Matt
October 22, 2006 9:05 AM | Link to this
Dayton public Scoooos a it is frequently referred will always be in trouble. Remember when Dr. Williams closed Patterson Co-op and started the charter school nonsense? Now technical jobs like Patterson catered to are in high demand and Public school enrollment is in great decline. It all starts from the top. The person in charge needs to be a competent/ qualified business manager that is not affiliated with the good old boys/girls club and look for/ eliminate the waste before cutting jobs and eliminating extracurricular activities. I know… lets give all the school board members a raise so we can attract better candidates for future openings. That will probably be next. Wake up Dayton before it’s too late.By Oldprof
October 22, 2006 7:26 AM | Link to this
Hey Hater—are you aware that much of the administrative bloat that you cite is due to higher levels of government? When our elected officials want to get their names on something (which, as we can see from the DeWine campaign, they think is important), they often create new titles, grants, projects, etc. for education, and to qualify for the funding the school must pay someone to administer it. I first saw that happen when I was in high school (back when the transistor was being invented), when a social studies teacher was re-assigned to be the Title II administrator. No other public entity gets funding in such a wasteful, labyrinthine way. Want to make millions of dollars available for classrooms with no tax increase? Elect different politicians!By Oldprof
October 22, 2006 7:21 AM | Link to this
We are lying to ourselves if we call that tax levy an “increase.” It is an adjustment for inflation. If our state legislators would do their jobs within the law, and create tax codes that permit school revenues to keep up with increasing costs, then we could save the expense of these regular tax levy “increases”—and teachers and administrators could focus on teaching and managing.By maryann
October 22, 2006 6:10 AM | Link to this
How much more can they cut? My neice goes to Belmont and 2 of her classes don’t have enough books,they have to leave the books in the class. We NEED what teachers we have, noone wants to work for dayton schools not just because off the poor system but also because of the kids. My girlfriend teaches for a dayton school and theres always fights,lack of respect for teachers and other classmates. As a graduate from Belmont it is a poor school. The principel I had is still there and she did a poor job then! Do these people ever get evaluated? Cuts in teachers is not the answer, manage your money better, get books for these kids, please educate these people as they are the future of dayton. Which at this point don’t say much as to what we can look forward to.By Roy
October 22, 2006 5:05 AM | Link to this
With the declining student population in Dayton Schools some of these teaching cuts would be needed regardless and as in any bureaucracy there is fat that can be cut. Many of us on limited income have to live on a budget and make cuts in our personal finances; I’d like to have a new car but I can’t afford one, therefore I have to live within my means and drive a used car. The schools also should have to live within their budgets and not keep running to the taxpayers as though we are an endless bucket of money. Some of us can’t afford more taxes on our homes and if it happens we have to make painful adjustments in our lifestyles and budgets. Schools: Tighten up your belts, cut out the overhead and live within your budget!By Caroline
October 21, 2006 11:32 PM | Link to this
I still do not fully comprehend why Dayton doesn’t have any money. I know it has something to do with charter schools, but if the board has less students, wouldn’t it take less money to run the schools anyway? Yes, I’ve seen the articles on this, but I still want to know—where is all the money going? If all these cuts are made, it is really going to hurt the students, the schools, and ultimately, the whole district.By Charterschool Hater
October 21, 2006 7:38 PM | Link to this
I agree with the cuts in the assistant principals. Each Hs should have 1 principal and 1 assistant no more. Elementary need 1 principal and 1 assistant as well. Here are some of my proposed cuts for what it is worth: In Operations It seems that you have a lot of folks sitting in offices and not out working with the folks. I say have Hoskins, Jones and Radcliffe, and put them in work cloths and let them become working supervisors with work crews. They can dictate their memos by cell phone to the secretaries and meet with Dr. Mack in blue jeans when he calls. It would show the work crews that they are one of the guys and improve morale. By the way why aren’t 1 or both of the assistants on the chopping block. We are in a financial crisis you know. Transportation Eliminate 2 dispatcher positions. A long time ago, a lady named Lilly did it all by herself and did just fine. It worked then it could work today. We are you know trying to save money. Why do they have 3 anyway? Put them on a 9 month contract just like the bus drivers. You could eliminate 1 router and put them on a 10 month contract instead of a 12 month one too. Save money. You have a parent liaison position which seems like a management position too me. A lady who is a union president mans this job 12 months a year. That could be eliminated to save money. By the way it was eliminated a long time ago but someone forgot or was afraid to tell Ms. union president and make her take another position or get out like everyone else who was eliminated. It always has amazed me how this lady could work in an abolished position for years on end and no one made her leave. Supervisors of all areas departments and eliminate redundancy need to combine to cut the number of them to save money. It is an outrage to cut teachers, aides, nurses and extracurricular activities where there are other ways. I got I have an idea Gail. As the public what they want. Have public hearings and get input from us. It is by the way our schools.By Joe Lacey
October 21, 2006 7:17 PM | Link to this
We are not voting on the cuts on Tuesday. We are voting on sending a five-year projection to the state, a state requirement. That document is drafted by the administration and reflects the administration’s cuts. If we were voting on the cuts themselves, we would be actually setting the line items of the budget at a lower dollar level that the administration would be held to. That would be an appropriation. It was made clear at the meeting that we are not appropriating. The administration would not be held to any budget limits by Tuesday’s vote. The board gave the administration the budget function back in 2002. The board did not vote on the line items of the budget back at the start of the year and we are not voting on changes to those line items on Tuesday. To vote on the cuts themselves would be “micromanaging” according to my colleague on the board. The document that we will vote to send to the state on Tuesday will also have an addendum saying that a levy of 9.75 mills would relieve the projected deficit, but we are not voting on Tuesday to put a 9.75 mill levy on the ballot.By Mary
October 21, 2006 6:53 PM | Link to this
I notice middle school basketball, football, and volleyball have greater priority in Dayton Middle Schools than teaching foreign language. I question these educational priorities, not only for Dayton, but for other school districts as well. Do administrators blame these priorities on parents, as an article in the Journal for American School Administrators did in June? Are these deceptive scare tactics for passing a levy?By joshua meeker
October 21, 2006 5:02 PM | Link to this
Cut school funds? I dont think so, how about we cut loose a lot of the damn RTA buses! I see buses all over the city, and about half of the ones i see have only a handful of people in them. I know these RTA’s are costing more money than theyre worth. Fix something else before you break our schools.