Throughout this summer, the Harwood Unified Union School District (HUUSD) Finance Committee has been brainstorming how to reduce spending and generate revenue for the district. At the board’s September 11 meeting, HUUSD director of finance and operations Lisa Estler presented several of the committee’s preliminary ideas for the coming years.
As The Valley Reporter goes to press, the HUUSD Finance Committee will be providing an update to the board at its Wednesday, September 25, meeting.
In terms of budget cuts, the finance committee is exploring several options, including the consolidation, closure, and reconfiguration of schools; a review of class sizes; a possible required fee for students who participate in co-curricular sports – what the committee called “pay it to play,” and a reduction in spending on the district’s Drivers Education Program.
Estler said that the district already hired two consultants rather than a full-time instructor to lead the Drivers Education Program and no longer owns the program’s car, which resulted in $90,000 in savings.
TRANSPORTATION
Bus transportation is another area where the district could see savings -- possibly $200,000 next year if the district reduces the use of four buses, with each bus costing over $62,000 annually. The district is also considering a reduction in bus services for extracurricular activities.
Other ideas for cost savings include possible staff reductions; cutting back on non-required classes for students; relocating the central office to an HUUSD school; relocating the Harwood Community Learning Center – a small building across from the high school – into the high school; and reviewing teacher to administrator ratios, school nurse staffing, the district’s virtual learning pilot program and the costs of deferred maintenance across all HUUSD buildings – at $19 million and growing, Estler said.
The finance committee is also exploring how the district might generate revenue. Ideas include soliciting donations and monetary gifts, increasing fundraising, reviewing what HUUSD charges others to lease various spaces in its buildings; and securing corporate sponsorships, partnerships, and naming opportunities.
SPONSORSHIPS
Regarding corporate sponsorships, board member Elizabeth Brown, Waterbury, said she learned that businesses would likely be interested if they knew HUUSD had a long-term plan for reducing expenses. When approaching businesses, “we’re going to have to go in with a story that really explains that there is a path forward, in terms of a multi-year expense reduction in order to bring our costs in line with the state averages,” she said.
The district’s current spending per student is $15,250, with the statewide average at $13,343, Estler said.
While several board members expressed support for the idea of corporate sponsorship, board member Life Legeros, Duxbury, said his initial reaction to the idea was “revulsion.”
Legeros said that public schools should be publicly funded and that accepting corporate money would be antithetical to the notion of local control. “To the extent that there’s private money exerting influence, is for me very worrisome,” he said.
Board member Jonathan Young, Warren, said he would not be opposed to hosting an advertisement on the high school’s baseball field or in the gymnasium. “I don’t like sponsorship on principle, but I’m pretty much in favor of getting some money to get us out of a budget crisis,” he said.
Young suggested that the district implement strong policies that would mitigate corporate influence.
Superintendent Michael Leichliter said that the school board of the previous district he led as a superintendent in Pennsylvania was initially against advertising with the school, but eventually decided to do it, earning $80,000 annually to offset the cost of student activities.
Governor Phil Scott sent a letter to school district leaders in early September, urging school boards to consider all options that might reduce spending, board member Mike Bishop, Fayston, pointed out to the board.
In his letter, Scott said the state will not allow education spending growth beyond 3%, which could still result in tax increases of up to 7% for many property owners.
He reminded districts that $69 million allocated this year to keep property taxes down will not be available next year, and that health insurance rate increases could cost an additional $50 million in education spending across the state.
Estler told the HUUSD board she is expecting to see an 18-20% increase in health care insurance costs for the district.
The district will soon begin drafting its budget for next year. This year’s budget is set at $47.9 million – representing a 5.4% budgetary increase and 1.2% tax increase from the previous year.
Per the committee members, the overall goal of the HUUSD Finance Committee is to reduce the district’s overall operating budget and lower how much it spends per student.
