Schools

Rockwood Seeks Input on Budget Items

The school district publishes a list of 20 items being considered for cuts or major changes as it addresses potential revenue reductions for the 2012-13 school year and beyond.

The Rockwood School District has provided a list of 20 options it is considering in an effort to decrease its spending as it seeks to balance its budget for fiscal year 2013 and beyond.

The options include reducing high school assistant principals, freezing teacher salaries, reducing bus service, eliminating some music and language programs and reverting to a traditional seven-period class schedule.

In its Guiding Change process, the district has sought input from taxpayers in deciding what cuts should be made to Rockwood programs, curriculum, services and personnel. The . It is considering asking residents for a tax increase of 32 to 62 cents to help offset its planned expenditures.

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In addition, Rockwood is holding a series of "stakeholder" meetings designed to receive input from the public. The next is set for 4 p.m. Tuesday at , 16025 Clayton Rd.

The list of options, totalling more than $14 million, was published by the district in priority order and provides cost savings estimates and detailed descriptions of each proposed cut. It's now the public's turn to give its opinion.

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The list of budget reduction proposals is listed below. The detailed list can be found on the district's website

ROCKWOOD PROPOSED BUDGET OPTIONS

Reduce building technology budgets.

$100,000

Adjust tech support model, replacing five part-time computer support specialist positions with two full-tme tech support specialists.

$35,000

Reduce the number of extended contract days (before and after the school year) by five for Family and Consumer Science (FACS) teachers

$40,000

Standardize the number of extended contract days (after the school year ends) for secondary school counselors.

$45,000

Reduce the number of high school assistant principals by four (from 16 to 12).

$400,000

Standardize the number of college/career specialists at the four high schools.

$100,000

Freeze nurses salaries

$50,000

Freeze the salaries of all regular full and part-time professional teaching employees who are paid on the basis of the teacher salary schedule, excluding supervisory and administrative employees.

$3,230,000

Reduce the number of world language class offerings for high school students.

$300,000

Eliminate elementary strings program. Strings is an elective program in grades K-5.

$570,000

Increase elementary class sizes in grades 4 and 5 by one student (maximum of 26 students).

$300,000

Reduce one classroom teaching assistant (TA) at each elementary school.

$320,000

Increase the distance for providing bus transportation at an estimated distance of 2.5 miles.

$1,500,000

Reduce one-half team at the middle school level.

$150,000

Reinstate 5th grade class sizes to 2006-07 level (maximum of 28 students).

$180,000

Increase elementary class sizes in grades 1-3 by one student.

$360,000

Reduce high school staff by eight full-time equivalents (FTE) points.

$480,000

Increase transportation distance to 3.5 miles.

$1,500,000
Move from the current hybrid-block schedule to a traditional seven period day at the high schools. $2,760,000 Move from middle school model to junior high model. $1,730,000 TOTAL $14,150,000


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