After 12 years of growth, district will now have to revise budget downward


The Tooele County School District expects enrollment to drop next year after 12 consecutive years of growth.

Superintendent Terry Linares said the downturn in enrollment is being driven by the opening of Excelsior Academy, the county’s first charter school, and by fewer students moving into the district.

“We anticipate the charter school will open this fall with about 600 students, and only 150 new students will enroll in the district,” Linares said. “Which leaves us with a net drop of 450 students.”

The projected drop in enrollment will reduce the district’s 2010-11 budget at a time when it is also facing cutbacks in state funding due to the recession.

However, the projected enrollment decline will not affect the general operating budget for 2009-10 presented by district business manager Richard Reese to the school board on May 19. The 2009-10 balanced budget is $81.8 million — down only slightly from $82.7 million last year.

But the $900,000 difference between the bottom line of the two budgets is deceiving, Reese said.

“Next year’s budget includes about $3 million in new income from the federal government for special education and Title I programs,” Reese said. “That almost covers up the $3.9 million across-the-board cuts in state funding for next year.”

The district had to make almost $3 million in cuts to balance the 2009-10 budget, according to Reese. The district will continue current cost-saving measures such as reducing energy expenses, overtime pay, eliminating district-funded field trips, reducing travel expenses, eliminating free lunches for teachers while on lunch duty, cutting back on in-service programs, deferring some maintenance, and monitoring supply requests, according to Linares.

In addition, the district office will go to a four-day workweek during the summer and the district will also decrease licensed staff by 10 employees through natural attrition, retirement or teachers leaving the district for other reasons.

Hiring of new teachers will be limited compared to last year, and some teachers will be moved around to fill vacancies instead of hiring new teachers, Linares said.

“We also have additional cost savings measures that are pending final negotiations with employee groups,” Linares said. “We will continue to look for ways to save money that minimize the impact on classroom instruction.”

The new budget predictions paint a picture in stark contrast from just last year when the district grew by 600 students and added over 20 new teaching positions.

Tim Gillie: tgillie@tooeletranscript.com