Budgeting for Necessities: Richfield School Board Tries to Stay Within its Budget While Improving Learning

As the school year comes to a close, the Richfield School Board is considering a number of issues intended to improve the district while staying within budget.

At this week's Richfield School Board meeting, the board approved the authorization for adjustments in targeted class size ratios for the Richfield Career Education Program (RCEP) from 15 to approximately 20 students.

RCEP is Richfield's alternative high school program, serving students who perform substantially below level and those who don't fit into the traditional program for reasons including pregnancy, truancy, speaking English as a second language and those who have been excluded or expelled.

However, in order to do this, another full-time teacher would need to be hired, which stresses the budget even further.

"It's similar to the targeted class size we have in all of our schools," said Michael Schwartz, Richfield School District business manager . "We're adjusting it because we think that we need a little more staff for next year than we have this year and we've been stretched."

Superintendent Bob Slotterback said state funding for RCEP is based on attendance, as with any school in the district.

In addition, the board approved a loan authorization for the purchase of technology, which includes new or replaced technology products meant to enhance student learning totaling approximately $176,000.

Three SMART Boards totaling $1,254 each, which Schwartz said have become standard equipment in the elementary classrooms, are among the new equipment to be purchased. SMART Boards are white boards that display projected computer images and act as an interactive touch screen monitor for the computer.

Slotterback said it's currently not in the tech levy to equip every classroom with SMART Boards but most elementary classrooms have them.

Student Board Members Mara LeBlanc and Baza Haile-Selassie asked Schwartz why the SMART Boards were considered a necessity.

Slotterback said most of the desire is driven by the teachers who feel they are beneficial.

The board also reviewed the district's preliminary budget and advanced expenditure authorization. A presentation by Schwartz indicated that the district is facing a 2.5 percent revenue decrease due primarily to the decrease grant revenue and the elimination of the Federal Jobs Bill. RCEP is facing a decrease of 1.4 percent.

Schwartz said the levy decreased despite the fact that student enrollment is on the rise. He said that enrollment did not increase until the 2010 school year. The levy is based on a projection developed by the current enrollment numbers. In this case it was created based on past lower enrollment numbers.

He said the district  is looking at borrowing $13 million to improve its cash flow, which will be facilitated by soliciting bids for the sale of high rated bonds.

The next school board meeting will be at 7 p.m. June 13 at the Richfield District Offices, located at Richfield High School.