COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — School District 49 is preparing parents, staff, students, and the broader community for changes expected within the district as it grapples with a budget deficit.
The district covers the eastern part of Colorado Springs into El Paso County.
In a Statement of Fiscal Exigency, the district said it would be facing a significant rollback in state funding, increased financial obligations among the workforce, rising costs to operate the district, and defunding of mill levy equalization as the reasons for this financial shortfall.
In January, a Budget Plan and Exigency Details report was presented to the board, showing that in order to balance the spreadsheets, significant cuts would have to be made.
According to the district, adoption of the exigency plan by the board will allow for District 49 to cancel employee employment contracts for non-probationary teachers under Colorado law.
In its plan, D49 said all of the following steps will be taken to ensure that the budget gets back on track:
- Reductions in administrative staffing, through elimination, consolidation, or reduction in annual days for administrative positions across every department.
- Reductions in supplemental (non-mission-critical) program expenditures, including conferences, travel, special events, promotional marketing, external review (Baldrige), and non-critical construction.
- Aggressive renegotiation of contracts with major vendors, including technology, software platforms, curriculum providers, and professional development vendors.
- Reductions in supplemental staffing, including probationary positions, Intent Not To Renew (INR) positions, and reducing the quantity of support role positions.
- Reductions in teacher positions, including non-core (elective), non-probationary positions in subjects and programs that are not drawing student interest or enrollment.
"To achieve the balance that is required, we are stripping the district down to absolute essentials. Many of the programs and positions we are reducing add real value and help us fulfill our vision to be the best choice, but under current conditions, it is responsible to pause or reduce non-essential programs in favor of preserving our core commitments," read the statement of fiscal exigency, prepared by Paul Anderson, Executive Director of People and Culture.
Details on when those cuts are expected to be handed down were not immediately shared. The next school district board meeting is slated for February 6.
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