A Look Back: Twinsburg Schools Budget Struggle

Keeping the financially sound could mean cutting about 70 (combined certified and classified) staff members, busing and implementing pay-to-participate, said Superintendent Kathryn Powers at a public forum on Dec. 6.

The forum was held to inform taxpayers about the district's financial situation and of possible cuts that could be made. The purpose was also to get input from residents about what programs they think could stay or go.

Board member David Andrews said in June the district’s revenue is anticipated to be at $38 million for this coming school year, $3 million less than two years before.

“The double-whammy is what’s coming from the state in this budget,” Andrews said. “What we expect by the end of June is that the tangible personal property tax will be more rapidly phased out.”

He said because of this phaseout, the district could be looking at almost $5 million less in revenue. With a budget of $40 million, the discussion is now becoming how to bridge the gap.

Fast forward to December, the district is spending more than its earning, Powers said, which means it is deficit spending by approximately $5.2 million.

The district is looking to make up that money by shaving $6 million from expenditures, the bulk of which is staff.

Here is a portion of the items to be affected:

• Lay off three people in administrative positions
• Lay off 29 classified staff, which includes janitors, custodians, mechanics, paraprofessionals, assistants, secretaries and bus drivers
• Lay off 40 teachers
• Restructure the high school to reduce graduation requirements from 24 credits to 21
• Offer six high school blocks rather than eight
• Shorten the high school student's day
• Reconfigure the middle school schedule
• Eliminate art, computers and language at middle school
• Reducing paper costs and increasing the use of technology
• Review and revise the transportation usage fee schedule for groups outside the district using buses
• Hold detention at one school instead of two
• Assess student fees for consumable items such as workbooks, testing supplies and technology
• Reduce building operating budgets by 10 percent
• Implement either a flat fee or percentage of cost of pay-to-participate
• Minimize high school and middle school busing
• Eliminate high school busing
• Go to the state minimum of busing which only provides rides for children who live more than two miles from school
• Make bids on private transportation
• Eliminate field trips
• Reduce classified staff overtime by two-thirds (the district had $300,000 in overtime last year)
• Revisit contracts through collective bargaining

There is also the option of asking taxpayers to pass a 4.9-mill levy in 2012 which would generate $4.1 million and cost the owner of a $100,000 home roughly $150 per year. Passing the levy on top of the cuts would give the district more of a financial cushion, said Mike Lenzo, district assistant superintendent.

"These decisions are not easy for us and we don't like making them," Powers said. "But we have to do something."

Read more about the budget reduction options:

• District Could Cut Possible $6 Million from Budget
• Changes Behind the Scenes Could Save Twinsburg Schools $370K
• District Looking at Two Pay-to-Play Options to Save Money
• Possible Cuts to Busing Could Save Twinsburg Schools Money
• School District to Explore Pay Freezes, Health Care Concessions
• Cutting Costs Will Likely Mean Job Losses for Twinsburg City Schools