Below is a running list of budget cuts, staff and program reductions, property tax increases, and other measures proposed or enacted by South Dakota public school districts in response to the 6.6% reduction in state aid to education imposed by Governor Dennis Daugaard and the South Dakota Legislature for Fiscal year 2012. You are welcome to update this list by submitting information about your school district via the comment section below or my contact page.
Update 2011.10.20: See the results of Senator Corey Brown's online survey in which 106 of 152 school districts report their responses to the state budget cuts. Summary:
- 80% of districts will likely draw on reserves.
- 73% are using capital outlay to prop up general fund.
- 87% gave teachers no raises.
District | Dollars | Budget Actions |
---|---|---|
Alcester-Hudson | $316,000 | cut 3 FTE through attrition (math, science, PE); cut K-12 art; use full $400K opt-out; |
Avon | $90,000 | apply capital outlay to general fund; cut one teacher by attrition |
Belle Fourche | cut $275,000 in teaching and support costs; board passed three-year opt out for $550,000 | |
Beresford | $316,514 | cut five staff (elem. teacher, administrator, two aides, school nurse); cut activities and programs |
Bon Homme | $185,000 | already opted-out last year for $400,000 per year for five years |
Brandon Valley | $1.6 million |
|
Bridgewater | $95,000 | cut supplies, cut staff through attrition |
Brookings |
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Custer |
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Elk Point-Jefferson | $260,000 | apply capital outlay to general fund |
Estelline | $182,621 | Voters pass $350,000 opt-out June 14 by 219&ndash203vote.Estelline School District reports the following cuts:
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Faith | $85,000 | |
Flandreau | $200,000 |
|
Florence | voters approved $90,000 opt-out | |
Freeman | $165,000 | cut family and consumer science |
Gayville-Volin | cut English teacher and half-time elem. teacher; reduce elem. principal to half-time; refinance bonds (saved $110K) | |
Groton | 39 budget cutting proposals, including elimination of debate, cheerleading, golf, and Destination Imagination | |
Harding County | >$100,000 (more than one tenth of budget |
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Huron | $1.3 million | Alternatives/perspective presented at March 28 meeting:
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Irene-Wakonda | $150,000 | adopt 4-day school week; cut "the equivalent of a full-time teaching position, limited hours for hourly paid positions, school-sponsored fifth- and sixth-grade basketball programs, a full-time general fund teacher's aide, some part-time custodial help, the dance team position, an assistant track coach which was made into a junior high track position, and supply budgets"; already opting out for $150K |
Iroquios | Iroquois voters approved $750,000 opt-out (69%&ndash31% vote) | |
Kadoka | $204,000 | |
Madison | $360,000 shortfall$137,950 in staff and program cuts proposed May 9 |
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Meade | $430,000 | close one of six rural schools, reduce staff through attrition, cut programs, freeze salaries. |
Menno | already in ongoing opt-out of $180K/yr | |
Milbank | Staff reductions (proposed):
Program reductions and other cuts:
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Mitchell | $792,000 | Proposed April 12 (details online in PDF from Supt. Graves)
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Newell | cut two elementary teachers, vocal music teacher, Spanish teacher, HS science teacher, school counselor (Newell board agenda, 2011.04.11)An e-mail correspondent reports the approved cuts as follows:
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Parker | voters approved $150,000 opt-out | |
Parkston | $285,000 | cut two positions by attrition; reduce teacher training budget; more under consideration |
Philip | $130,000 | Shift capital outlay; third year of no raises for teachers |
Pierre | $1 million: $850K in state budget cuts, $150K loss from bank franchise tax | cut nearly 20 staffReported April 27:
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Plankinton | $25,000 | |
Platte-Geddes | cut one position by attrition; more under consideration | |
Presho | $400,000 |
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Rapid City | $7.27 million |
spreading budget cuts over three years; anticipating $3 million to $4 million in cuts in each of next two budget years; attrition through resignations and 32 retirements this yearfreeze expenditures at 2008 levels; reduce staff through attrition; increase class size (elem 25; HS 30); spend reserves, transfer capital outlay funds, backfill with federal stimulus; freeze pay (but district absorbs $17M increase in health insurance premiums)Preliminary budget $189M, cuts $10M, uses reserves to avoid program cuts |
Rutland | Pay freeze for teachers | |
Sanborn Central | $58,512 |
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Sioux Falls | ~$6,570,000$9 million total shortfall |
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Vermillion | ~$462,000 |
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Wagner | $250,800 | cut two teachers, one aide through attrition; freeze salaries; share librarian with neighboring school district |
Watertown | $1.2 million to $1.4 million |
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Woonsocket | $58,512 | |
Yankton | $4.175 million |
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The Sioux Falls Argus Leader surveyed South Dakota K-12 schools on their FY2011-2012 budget plans. The paper received responses from 74 of our 154 school districts, represetning 75% of our student population. You can download this Excel spreadsheet to view all results from the Argus survey.
Attrition: When staff resign or retire, the school does not hire new personnel to fill those positions. Responsibilities/programs are either assigned to remaining staff or eliminated.
Opt-out: Property tax levies are capped by state law. Local school districts may vote to opt out of that limit and impose a larger levy. School boards and citizens may refer an opt-out to a public vote.
Learn more about school budgets (general fund, capital outlay, all that jazz) from this slideshow primer from Yankton School District.
http://yankton.net/articles/2011/04/09/community/doc4d9fdf39cf32c933151281.txt
39 school jobs cuts in Yankton
http://www.moodycountyenterprise.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=2623&page=73
Flandreau cuts
And don't forget the devastation to SDSU's employees.
Anyone else but me think Larson's on the Brookings donation?
I would imagine they'd be a lot of folks' first guess. But who knows?
My bride, a Brookings girl, thinks the Fishback's probably donated to the school. Makes me wish I had the funding to do something like that here in Yankton. The one thing I have noticed in Yankton is the polarity of battles here. Wow. The swimming pool issue that partly caused a recall election, monies for fireworks (private vs public), economic stimulus and tax cuts to large chains (protect small local vs stimulate economy and add jobs) and now the ugliness of the opt out. You can sand in the middle of main street and almost draw the battle lines...old vs new, natives vs new blood....this opt out is creating some ugly deep battle scars already. Be sure to thank Russ for me next time you see him!
http://www.moodycountyenterprise.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=2792&page=73
Flandreau finalizes budget.
Two of these listed cuts to 'classified' positions. What kind of position is classified, when they're using public funds? This isn't the farking CIA or FBI... it's my local school.
Don't worry: "classified" doesn't mean "secret" here. School districts refer to "classified" staff as non-teaching, non-academic staff: custodians, secretaries, cooks, etc. They are often paid hourly wages. By contrast, "certified" staff are teachers and administrators, folks who have to have specific education credentials for their jobs. They are usually paid by contract, annual salary.
LOL! They should call it 'support' staff then.