Budget Crises Spreading
Like so many other school districts, Greenwood is
struggling to maintain quality education in the face of a severe budget
crisis brought on by state revenue controls.
In January, Greenwood District Administrator Mike
Beighley held a community forum in which he outlined a projected $500,000
budget deficit. With the fund balance down to $400,000 and more deficits
projected in the future, the district must look at a referendum to exceed
revenue caps to avoid major program cuts, he said.
Here are just a few of the other budget crisis situations
addressed in newspaper articles throughout the state in January. (These
are taken from the daily news ticker that appears on the home page of
OnWEAC.)
- Oshkosh parents complained that student fees for classroom supplies
have gotten out of control.
- Nearly half the districts in Waukesha County are expected to
go to referendum this spring to raise needed funds to maintain educational
programs.
- A failed referendum in Fond du Lac has forced the school board
to dramatically increase recreational fees.
- Milwaukee Public Schools could face a shortfall approaching $20
million next school year on top of a $31 million gap it had to fill
this year. "We're slowly bleeding," said Superintendent Spence Korte.
- Athens will seek voter approval to exceed revenue caps by $250,000.
With declining enrollment, it faces a shortfall of $200,000 this
year.
- Voters in Weyauwega-Fremont approved exceeding revenue caps by
$450,000 last year, but were told at least another $150,000 has
to be cut in district costs. One option is to close the Fremont
Elementary School.
- West Bend voters will be asked to exceed revenue caps by as much
as $1 million to avoid significant cuts in staff and programs.
- Despite approval last year of a referendum to exceed caps by
$1.35 million, Stevens Point is facing a deficit of several million
dollars in the coming years that could force staff and program cuts.
One scenario would eliminate 34 teaching positions.
- Menasha officials are proposing to increase class sizes in the
middle and high schools and cut four full-time teaching positions
to save $244,000.