School closing returns to MUSD budget talks; reserve funds, revenue options will also be studied

The possibility of closing a school is back on the option list. In the wake of the failure of the latest budget override attempt, Maricopa Unified School District is evaluating its next move.

Some funding sources will dry up at the end of the fiscal year. That includes the district-sponsored charter funding that has allowed MUSD “to hire additional staff and reduce class size,” Superintendent Steve Chestnut said.

He presented budget issues to the governing board at its regular meeting Wednesday night. The district’s Budget Committee will begin meeting in December.

Chestnut said the charter funding impacted five special education certified staff, two certified high school staff, a classified staff member, transportation and a special education day school to the tune of $825,000. That, however, does not mean the district has to automatically cut those items, Chestnut pointed out.

“We have reserves,” he said.

The board must now make decisions on what should be cut to meet its needs and meet its budget.

At the same time, grant funds will also end on June 30, 2015. Those funds have helped pay five secondary math teachers, five reading paraprofessionals and a “Teacher on Special Assignment” as well as finance two periods of credit recovery at the high school.

Chestnut said those positions could be “eliminated or absorbed by another funding source.”

He also reminded the board that $330 million in the court-ordered payment to Arizona schools for inflation adjustment is still pending from the Legislature.

For all that, the closing of a middle school comes back as a possibility for budget relief.

Previously, the Budget Committee had recommended that very action, but the board rejected it. Wednesday, Chestnut said if a school were to close the savings would be primarily in staffing.

Projected sixth-grade enrollment is 479. Projected seventh-grade enrollment is 433. Desert Wind Middle School has a capacity of 1,088, while Maricopa Wells Middle School has a capacity of 1,099. Some years ago, there were 1,400 students at MWMS.

To close one school and shift students to the other could bring the elimination of six teaching positions and two certified staff positions.

Board member AnnaMarie Knorr said the district can factor in leasing out one of the buildings to the special education provider.

While the district has not “crunched numbers” on the closing of an elementary school, Chestnut said the most likely candidate would be Santa Cruz. Though enrollment is up across the district, Santa Cruz has the most capacity yet to fill – up to 15 rooms.

MUSD has added 427 students compared to this time last year for a total of 6,277. Yet, there are still 11 available rooms that could be converted into classroom space at DWMS and another 10 rooms at MWMS.

“So we have room to expand if enrollment continues to grow. It’s a wonderful problem to have,” Chestnut said. “We need more students to attend Santa Cruz.”

Board member Scott Bartle said if the board does take up the option of closing a school, “it shouldn’t be an 11th hour decision.” He said “parents, students and staff should be given as much time as possible.”

Meanwhile, options for how the district can use its reserves to fill in budget shortfalls “are calls the board will have to make,” Chestnut said.

The district will also look at revenue-generating options. That includes, at least according to Jeff Kramarczyk, another try for an override.

This month’s general election saw the public again vote down the idea, 57 percent to 43 percent. Kramarczyk, president of the Maricopa Education Foundation, said that was a 1-percent improvement over the previous results. He urged the board to take “immediate action” to get the override on a future ballot.

***ADVERTISEMENT***He said supporters of an override need to do a better job of community education – where the money is going and why the money is needed. They need to “vet it all out and work it,” Kramarczyk said.

Even without the override, “I hope those who voted no … will continue to come forward with their ideas,” said newly re-elected board member Patti Coutre. “You might have a fantastic idea that’s going to catapult this district forward.”