Textbooks, school police or elementary music? Granite School District wants parents and teachers to help with the difficult task of deciding where to make cuts.
After slashing the district's budget by $28.5 million for the current fiscal year, Granite is bracing for an expected $7 million to $10 million trim needed in the 2010-11 budget.
The Salt Lake Valley district has launched an outreach effort aimed at school community councils and PTA groups, asking parents and educators to respond to a questionnaire.
What programs and services can parents stand to live without? What are the cuts they won't abide?
"It's almost an assignment at this point: We need your feedback," said Granite spokesman Ben Horsley.
Parents can view a video presentation, explaining the budget, on the district's Web site. There's also a spreadsheet that lists all discretionary funds eligible for cuts. Nearly half of the district's budget - 46 percent - cannot be pared down because the expenses are tied to state or federal mandates.
"It's a lot of information for parents to take in," said Stacie Sturt, a Murray mother who has three children in Granite schools. "It's very discouraging as a parent to see that budgets in schools have to be cut yet again."
Sturt worries the financial woes will lead to an increase in class sizes. The district spreadsheet shows that $4.3 million could be saved by increasing the student-teacher ratio by one student.
That, she said, would be "so unfair to teachers and to students."
But Horsley said he expects the Board of Education would only adjust class size as a last resort.
Last year, he noted, the district plugged a much bigger hole - $28.5 million - but increased classrooms by a slim 0.25 students per teacher.
"Last year, we cut everything [else first] and then came up with the class size," Horsley said. "The goal, ultimately, is to impact the classroom as little as possible."
The district will gather budget insights through April 2. The administration's budget team plans to review the comment forms before Superintendent Stephen Ronnenkamp makes final recommendations to the board May 4.
The board is expected to adopt its budget June 15.
Linda Hansen, PTA director for the Granite area, praised the district for reaching out to parents as it compiles the budget.
"Parents feel like they're being included in the process," she said. "It's going to be a tough decision."
Want to take part in Granite's budget process?
On the Web » Visit http://tinyurl.com/yepkx7x to see a video presentation and review a spreadsheet of possible cuts.
Complete a feedback form » Forms are available at the Web site and can be submitted to school principals, community councils or PTA groups through April 2.
