Confronted with a budget shortfall of at least $94.4 million for the 2011-12 school year, we are developing a draft preliminary budget proposal for the Board of Trustees that will bring us close to our target. The Board will discuss these proposals at its board meetings on February 14 and February 24. We are calling this "Option 4," after crafting three previous options designed to address earlier shortfall estimates. Option 4 represents our current best thinking and addresses the shortfall that is currently projected for AISD. The projected shortfall and our draft preliminary proposal to address it could change as the Legislature continues its deliberations.
Please see the District website at www.austinisd.org/inside/board/meetings.phtml for all materials shared with the Board regarding the budget development process.
The first section of this draft proposal is our base reduction, consisting of items recommended by a majority of our district leaders, campus principals, teachers, parents, and community members through meetings and surveys. This section totals $20,172,00 in reductions.
Section 1--The items in the base reduction are included throughout all options proposed to the Board.
Item Total
Implement a 4 day/10 hr work week in July
$470,000
Implement an aggressive Energy Saving Program
$500,000
Reduce centrally funded food
$320,000
Obtain fixed pricing for fuel
$400,000
Central Office hiring freeze and impose a 30 day wait to fill vacancy
$1,500,000
Reduce centrally funded travel
$600,000
Reduce portable usage
$600,000
Reduce Summer program to mandatory only
$800,000
Shift the Tactical Compensation program to the
Strategic Compensation program as a component of the TIF grant
$1,000,000
Implement across-the-board cuts and reduce central departments by at least 2%.
$1,500,000
Postpone/Cancel the opening of a Multiple Pathways School
$1,450,000
Provide standard plan for health insurance coverage at 100%
and offer an optional 'buy-up' plan that employees can elect
to participate in with an employee contribution
$8,800,000
Reduce Athletics Program by 2%
$232,000
Close and relocate Central headquarters (CAC).
NOTE: This actual reduction, savings, and relocation would not be
realized until 2014, according to Master Facility Plan Task Force analysis
Eliminate the Transition Fund program
$270,000
Eliminate the Quality of Life program which supports various community
partnerships who work to provide enrichment experiences for children of color
$170,000
Reduce district contribution to Austin Partners in Education (APIE) by 2%.
$10,000
Reduce local funding for the Turnaround Initiative which supports
local school reform efforts for struggling schools
$400,000
Eliminate central support for the Read 180 program
$300,000
Eliminate Hardship Leave for employees that
experience extreme health challenges, after Extended Leave has been exhausted
$400,000
Implement hub pick-up for Magnet student transportation.
$200,000
Hold custodial Supply allocation flat
$250,000
Subtotal Base/Survey Items $20,172,000
