School districts coping with lean funding

This is the way the Central High School math department chairwoman puts it:

"This is the first time I've seen them not hire teachers who need to be replaced, and I have a real problem with that."

Mary Shelton's sentiments are being echoed across the state as Missouri's current financial crunch results in less state funding for schools that many district would like to have.

School districts have been through lean times before, and they are finding ways to cope with the current situation.

Consider some of the steps area districts have taken or are taking as they prepare for the coming school year.

In Scott City, leaders are preparing for $356,434 less state funding than last year. They will dip into their reserves to cover the current fiscal year's shortfall.

Four elementary teacher positions left vacant through retirements and promotions are not being filled.

A total of 10 teacher's assistant positions are not being filled.

Other personnel cutbacks include eliminating five assistant coaching positions, freezing salaries and requiring employees to pay for more of their own health-insurance premiums.

In addition, the freshman basketball team has been eliminated, and the district has plans to reduce the number of road games played in all sports to save money on bus trips and officials.

Jackson School District leaders are anticipating at least $1 million less in state funding in the coming fiscal year on top of the $500,000 in state withholdings from the current year and a 20 percent increase in health-insurance costs for next year. Fifteen teaching positions vacated through attrition throughout the district are not being filled.

The district likely will turn to its fund balances, already down to 7 percent of total annual operating expenses. If the figure drops to 3 percent, the state comes in to investigate.

Cape Girardeau School District is cutting eight positions through attrition, anticipating a $673,000 decrease in state funding and a $1.4 million increase in personnel costs.

Superintendent Mark Bowles has mentioned the possibility of increasing the district's operating levy.

Officials also are considering the option of dipping into reserve fund balances, which are around $2.7 million.

Districts are reacting swiftly to deal with budget concerns, even before the final totals on cuts are out. It appears most districts in the state have enough reserves on hand and are finding ways to economize in order to get through the coming school year.

Few districts plan to ask voters for increases in local levies, which would generate funds for some of the programs being cut back or dropped.

For the most part, school district are choosing to do more with less until a better economy results in more revenue that can be spent on Missouri's schools.