Schools studying, testing cuts
By GAYLE WEBER
School districts in northwest Kansas constantly are looking to save money, especially in anticipation of state budget cuts this fiscal year.
One consideration among a few districts has been a switch to a four-day school week for both educational and financial purposes.
However, Wheatland USD 292 decided Monday not to pursue the measure, while Hoxie USD 412 also has decided not to move forward with the plan.
"They decided it's hard on those younger kids," Wheatland-Grinnell Superintendent Darrin Herl said. "The high school kids could handle it pretty easy, but the younger kids, it would be hard for them."
The school has a cooperative agreement with Grinnell USD 291, which is expected to make a decision on the shortened school week at next week's meeting.
"I hope that they make a decision and they say yes or no, that way we know later on if we want to revisit it," Herl said.
However, Herl also said he hopes the Grinnell decision does not hurt the cooperative agreement because either party could opt out with a one-year notice given by May 1.
For Wheatland schools, the main reasons for the four-day consideration were to save money, but also recruit teachers because they essentially would be given a three-day weekend most of the school year.
Brewster USD 314 implemented a four-day school week this year, adding about a half hour to each school day.
"Educationally, we're getting done what we need to," Superintendent Sherri Edmundson said.
The district initially looked at the idea to save money; however, since the plan was approved, fuel and food costs have risen.
"My anticipation is we won't save as much as we intended to," Edmundson said.
Hoxie Superintendent Scott Hoyt said his district looked at the measure earlier this year but decided against pursuing it at the time.
"We're constantly looking at ways to save money and improve education," Hoyt said. "And some times, those two don't go together very well."
Meanwhile, all districts likely will face a budget cut from the state of Kansas once the state budget is revised by the Kansas Legislature.
Edmundson and Hoyt said their districts have not targeted specific cuts yet, but Edmundson said Brewster is looking at a $15,000 to $20,000 cut.
Herl said if the latest $32 million cut to all districts is passed, he anticipates the district losing close to $24,000.
"This current school year, we're not doing any cuts," Herl said. "We budgeted for $4 fuel and higher utility costs, and we will not have as big of a transfer at the end of the year on carryover.
"If they don't cut any more than that, we'll be fine."
However, Dighton USD 482 already has begun making cuts, including shortening the school year.
Dighton has lengthened the school day by 25 minutes in order to finish school May 1.
"We're hoping to save about $40,000 to $50,000," Superintendent Angela Lawrence said.
The savings are expected to come from decreased transportation, utility and food service costs.
The district also is restructuring its summer school services to high school students and no longer will be providing driver's education because the state completely cut funding for the program.
Lawrence said she expects to lose about $35,000 this fiscal year, but the final figure will depend on which bill is passed.
"We're running out of time," Lawrence said. "The longer we wait, the less flexibility we have."
Lawrence said the district tried to implement cuts that were the least detrimental to student learning and maintained as much as of the spring activity schedule as possible. Only two golf meets were canceled in order to meet that goal.
"We were trying to do what we could to get a jump start on next year," Lawrence said. "We also know that we have to live within our means."