Proposed School Budget Aims to Maintain Class Size, Retain Special Programs

Following previous meetings outlining the complete overview and non-instructional aspect of the proposed 2012-13 Garden City schools budget, the Feb. 28 session presented the third step in the review process - the instructional expenditures (Part I). In addition to instructional expenditures, budget drivers and other areas for the budget were also discussed Tuesday evening.

The main focus of this presentation detailed the first part of the instructional aspects, accounting for 74.33 percent of the total budget. These expenditures fall into the programmatic portion (the activities which directly benefit students) of the three-part proposed budget for the district. 

“People who look here don’t look other places,” said superintendent Dr. Robert Feirsen, referring to all that Garden City has to offer as both a community and a school district. The first part of the instructional proposal aims at preserving these programs within the district.

The proposed program budget stands at $78,030,587, which, along with the administrative budget ($11,370,846) and the capital budget ($15,575,318), total the proposed budget of $104,976,751 for the 2012-13 year, according to the proposal.

“What we are trying to do in both my proposal to the board, and the board’s ultimate decision of the budget, is to achieve a proper balance between the needs of our students and the interest of our community in educating those students, and providing a good budget for the community that is supported by the community,” said Feirsen.

According to Feirsen, no major changes are proposed in the instructional part I proposal. There will be no building closures, class sizes will be maintained, special programs such as FLES and Quest will be retained and preserving most co-curricular/athletics programs are among just some of what will remain unchanged under the current proposal.

While the focus remained primarily on the direct effect of program budgeting on students, Feirsen, along with assistant superintendent for business and finance, Albert Chase, discussed other important aspects affecting the instructional expenditures. Budget drivers such as pensions, health care and special education services are also challenges to the 2012-13 proposal.

Chase discussed the areas of the budget, such as, curriculum development and supervision, supervision for regular day school, academic program supervision, regular day school (which is the largest single area) and other program administration (special education, technology and athletic administration). Further information on the instructional expenditures (part II) will be discussed at the district’s next meeting.

The next budget presentation will take place Wednesday, March 7 at 8:30 p.m. in the Garden City High School library.