Broken Arrow Schools Reduce Budget Without Using Layoffs

NewsOn6.com

BROKEN ARROW, OK -- The Broken Arrow Board of Education has approved a budget reduction plan for the 2010-2011 school year that will cut ten percent or $5.6-million from the school district budget and does not include any layoffs.

In a news release from the Broken Arrow School district, nearly half of the savings will be realized in not filling 66 positions across all facets of the school district that are currently open due to attrition.

The Broken Arrow school board met Monday evening.

In addition to the savings gained from attrition, another key aspect of the Broken Arrow Public School budget reduction plan involves moving several expenditures out of the District's General Fund to other funds which will result in a savings to the General Fund of over $2-million.

"We are planning for the worst and hoping for the best," Broken Arrow Public Schools Superintendent Jarod Mendenhall said. "In fact we are hopeful that we will be able to actually fill some of the 32 teaching positions involved in the reduction plan after the school year begins and the state's budget situation is less murky."

Mendenhall said moving forward only positions deemed "mission critical" by him and his Executive Cabinet would be approved for hire.

"We realize that class sizes in some areas of the district may go up, however; we will continue to work hard to provide the same level of service that our patrons and parents have come to expect."

The release says Mendenhall and school district staff along with the Broken Arrow School Board have been working on the budget reduction plan since February.