Health & Fitness
Is District 833's 'Hybrid Budget' a Ruse to Coerce Community into Voting for Increased Levy this Fall?
Is the Hybrid Option necessary? How does the Crosswinds acquisition affect the budget considerations?
The fact that less than 5% (approx. 800) of the 17,300 (student) population (or .8% of the 94,000 total) weighed in on the Budget Options is disgusting.
But perhaps those who didn't participate knew the District Administration would not listen: Of the 321 people responding to Question 4 ("Do you support keeping Pre-K-12 at current levels?"), 79.1% of those respondents said "Yes."
Furthermore, according to the District's documents, the Community and Staff supported Options 1/3, while the Administration and Cabinet supported 2/3.
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Interestingly, Option #1 (the ONLY option not terminating teachers) received 44% support, which was 10% more than #3 and 20% higher than #2.
The Administration has chosen a "Hybrid Option" calling for terminating 22.5 teacher positions, increasing transportation distances, and the removal of four District Support Service positions (saving $375,000 = $93,700/each). Given the Survey results, is the Administration attempting to inflict the most pain possible on residents by cutting the areas receiving the most support?
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Ironically, while the District is cutting $2 Million from the budget, they are actively lobbying for the rejection of the Perpich proposal for Crosswinds School at the State Legislature, so that Crosswinds can be "given" to District 833. The District’s current proposal for Crosswinds is moving Woodbury Elementary students to Crosswinds (move estimated at $375,000), and giving Nuevas Fronteras the Woodbury Elementary school building. The costs involved are a minimum of $1Million/yr for the operation/transportation for the new "Woodbury Elementary" in Crosswinds and unknown amounts (undisclosed by the District) for proposed additions/modifications to Woodbury Middle, Crosswinds and Woodbury Elementary.
Is eliminating 22.5 FTE teaching positions and increasing walking distances necessary to cutting $2 million from the budget? Or are the District Administrators counting on the fact that few residents are paying attention? Will they hold those teachers ransom in exchange for a community willing to vote for an increased levy renewal this fall?
