Are we there yet?
The conventional wisdom is that Colorado isn’t going to address its fundamental budget woes until there’s a full-blown crisis. A torrent of articles from around the state (see for instance here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here) makes it tough to deny that we’ve arrived.
One must-read news story about the budget woes in East Grand, epitomizes the struggles of just about all Colorado’s districts. The article lists all the possible cuts that are on the table:
Recruitment 100 percent
International Baccalaureate 100 percent
Dues, fees, memberships 100 percent
Food service 50 percent
Preschool 50 percent
Conferences 50-100 percent
Administrator 12.5 percent
Insurance increase co-pay 40 percent
Classroom materials reduction 20 percent
Textbook adoption rates 25 percent
Athletics reductions and eliminations 15 percent
Field trips 100 percent
Debt service 100 percent
Capital transfer 100 percent
7-12 teachers 10.4 percent
Summer school elimination 100 percent
Technology capital reserve 36 percent
Grounds/maintenance 24 percent
Elementary counselor reduction 100 percent
Food service outsource/vendor 50 percent
Operations/maintenance 15 percent
Custodial staff 25 percent
Media staff 15 percent
Secondary counselors 33 percent
Grounds 38.6 percent
Technology materials 50 percent
School nurse 50 percent1-2 furlough days
Technology staff 25 percent
Secretary staff 18 percent
Testing
Kindergarten tuition
Closure of Grand Lake Elementary School
Staff salary schedule, move or don’t move
One teacher on the committee that will make recommendations about the cuts put it this way:
“What is heartbreaking, at least for me – and I cried all the way home from the DAC meeting last night because it’s the community that has supported this school district to be as strong as it is, and has invested so much time historically in the people and programs to make the district what it is – and now, to a certain degree, we are disassembling what we have created. . . Whether it’s a program, a tradition thwarted because of changes, whether it’s people’s livelihoods, it’s heartbreaking, especially since it is so fiercely personal.”
Yes, we’re there, Colorado. You can tell your story about what the crisis means to students in your life here, and pledge to help turn the tide here.
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