After saying the state shouldn’t balance its budget on the backs of education and students, the Lyon County School District Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to submit a 2011-12 tentative budget based on the current year’s budget figures, “adjusted to the declining enrollment numbers.”
Many of the Trustees’ comments were met with applause from the crowd of about 60, the majority of which were district employees.
The March 15 board budget workshop inside a packed Silver Stage High School Library was scheduled to discuss possible cuts to the 2011-12 budget. There were several possibilities listed, including consolidation/closure of schools, but Trustees’ comments appeared to reject at least some of those possibilities.
Discussion began with the reading of a statement from Trustee Charles Shirley, who wasn’t present at the meeting but participated via telephone, and with other Trustees saying they agreed with Shirley’s stance.
Just prior to his statement being read, Shirley made a motion “to submit the 2010-11 budget adjusted to the declining enrollment numbers;” and after 15 minutes of comments, the board voted 7-0 to approve that motion.
After the vote, though, Board President John Stevens said the board isn’t done, the district has to address budget cuts, and a workshop was set for March 29 for that.
In an interview the next day, Stevens said he’d already received a lot of positive feedback from the meeting, saying his impression is that district employees felt the board and staff are part of a team and rather than an “us against them” approach, it is “a team effort.”
Shirley’s statement began, “The voters of Lyon County elected me to oversee the operation of the school district and to give our students the best education we can. I was not elected to dismantle a school district to the extent of disrepair and lower the quality of education to that of a third-world country.”
He added Nevada is at the bottom in the nation in every category regarding quality of education and/or per-pupil spending, saying, “I will not vote to balance the state’s budget on the backs of our students.”
Shirley noted the district has already made cuts, including cutting positions.
“I truly believe we are at ground zero and can no longer make cuts without severely impacting the learning of our students,” he said.
Several other Trustees spoke about the state’s low education standing and other aspects about the state’s role.
The agenda item listed budget items to address such as “class size, extra- and co-curricular activities and consolidation/closure of schools due to continued declining enrollment and loss of state and local revenues.”
A budget planning packet had been prepared, but it wasn’t presented at the meeting, and Stevens thanked Deputy Superintendent Keith Savage and Comptroller Wade Johnson for its preparation, saying the effort wasn’t wasted and it would be addressed.
“We’re continuing to look at these things (in report),” Stevens said, adding that the district’s declining enrollment represents $1.2-1.5 million in reductions, and the board will likely look at three budget reduction figures (above that, such as $4.5, 3.5 and $2.5) at the March 29 workshop.
Trustee Neal McIntyre said, “I feel the same as Charlie does”». I didn’t get on this board to close down schools.”
McIntyre also said athletics and extra-curricular activities are “a big part of school” and talked of data that shows those involved in extra-curricular activities such as sports do better in school.
Trustee Jason Sanderson had photos of his two daughters in front of him, saying they were the most important things in his life and the reason he joined the board, along with being a good steward of taxpayers’ money.
“We need to do what is right” for the students, teachers and taxpayers, he said.
Trustee Maureen Williss said she felt the state should look at additional revenue sources, but state officials and the Legislature should have acted a few years ago.
Trustee James Huckaby said there was no need to repeat what has been said but that closing schools doesn’t work. He later talked in support of four-day school weeks and the savings that could result from that.
Trustee Theo McCormick said there wasn’t much to add, but that he’s been lobbying legislators as part of his Trustee role and he stressed those in the audience should contact their legislators about these funding issues, so they hear from someone besides the board and administration.
The schools in Lyon County are one of the last places of hope for our kids. Let’s keep them whole.
