CCSD Told To Cut 10+% Of It's Budget

CCSD officials met with Gov. Elect Brian Sandoval and his staff and were told to cut over 10% of it's budget for it's next budget.
From The Las Vegas Sun: Clark County school officials who met with Gov.-elect Brian Sandoval this week to discuss the budget described the tone as gloomy and were told to brace for cuts in excess of 10 percent.
Walt Rulffes, the outgoing Clark County schools superintendent, said Tuesday’s meeting was profoundly pessimistic.
Carolyn Edwards, vice president of the school board, said the budget outlook is “not going to be pretty; we all know that.”
Gov. Jim Gibbons had asked all state agencies to assume budget cuts of at least 10 percent. But public schools, including the Clark County district, and colleges, including UNLV, have resisted cuts of that magnitude.
On Tuesday, Dale Erquiaga, Sandoval’s senior adviser and a former financial analyst for the Clark County School District, told school officials that cuts will be “something in excess of that,” Rulffes said.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/dec/09/school-officials-told-brace-cuts-excess-10-percent/
CCSD's budget is a little over $2 billion, which means we are looking at a potential cut of $200 million.
Will it be easy to cut another $200,000,000? Of course not, but there are some cuts the District can do.
First, go back to the staffing levels to the Fall of 2010, which will negate the awful $58,000,000 the District got from the Feds as part some stimulus money.
Second, look at busing of students. At the high school I teach at, we have as low as 1 or 2 kids getting off a special education bus and not much better for the larger buses that are used as part of the Magnet program.
Third, Contract out for certain services, such as plumbing, electricians, painters, gardeners and other skilled positions.
Fourth, put the health care contract up for bids. Is Teacher's Health Trust the cheapest health insurance out there?
Fifth, Get rid of staff development days.
Sixth, a 5% cut in pay to teachers and administrators in exchange for furlough days, which could be staff development days.
Sixth, stop paying teachers and other staff to attend classes or go listen to speakers.
While this may not save all $200,000,000, it is close. It's not a great inconvenience but the savings will help the district save some serious money.