Recap: DeKalb School Board Tables Budget Vote
The DeKalb County board of education will wait until next week to finalize the district budget
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DeKalb school officials tabled a much-anticipated vote on the school budget Monday upon news that the district is facing an even deeper deficit.
Instead of a $73-million gap, the district will have to cover an $85-million hole.
The news came from district financial officials who explained that the county's property tax digest will be 9 percent lower than last year - not the expected 6 percent drop.
The board decided against discussing any of the proposed cuts that include cutting middle school athletic programs, shutting down the Fernbank Science Center, expanding class sizes by two students district-wide, reducing employee benefits and cancelling transportation to magnet schools.
The board is tentatively scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 20, to finalize the budget.
A major new development Monday was the fate of the Fernbank Science Center.
The center was pulled off the chopping block last month; Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson put Fernbank back on the table Monday. Atkinson suggested $3.2 million in cuts to programs and resources at the center. Fernbank has a $4.7 million operating budget.
The board also discussed deadlines for when the budget needs to be finalized and approved. The spending plan is required by July 1, but could be stretched past that date in an emergency, district officials said.
Atkinson cautioned the board that delaying budget decisions could handicap teachers and other staff who are ultimately let go from getting new positions in other school systems.
Recap our live coverage by clicking the play button above. Feel free to ask questions or share your opinion in the comments section.
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Tom
6:49 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
Every family that has had someone lose a job or take a pay cut in salary has had to reduce their family BUDGET. This is something many family in Dekalb Co. have had to do over the last 5 years. WHY CAN'T DEKALB CO CUT SPENDING? ELLIS & RADER SHUOLD BE THROWN OUT ON THE STREETS. CUT SPENDING. WAKE UP!
prettyflower
12:12 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Ellis and Rader are not on the school board. They do not make these decisions.
Tom
6:52 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Hey Pretty Flower, Your bloom has wilted and you smell like... Rader and eliis are lying thieves.
Melanie Sapp
9:59 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
Trim Fernbank's budget, of course. But gutting it is ridiculous. Why not raise revenue creatively? Fernbank has so much to offer the public, beyond DeKalb's students but it's not well promoted. They have the world's largest - yes, WORLD'S largest - publically available observatory and some amazing scientists to boot. Use one of those 6-figure DCSS marketing folks to come up with promotional ideas and charge admission. Provide workshops for bird-watcher, nature lovers, space/robotics fans. There's a lot there to capitalize on, but I think the school system is too narrow-minded.
lastminutemom
11:06 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
School systems are not suppose to operate museums. It is way past time to turn this into a non-profit. Allowing it to stay open, even with a much reduced staff, gives supporters time to turn it around.
Eddie E.
12:10 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
It took a very long time to build this spectacular infrastructure.
It would be well beyond foolish to eliminate it over a temporary budget shortfall.
Public Education in Georgia has been given very short shrift over the last decade. Promises made were never kept with funding when things were good.
Pretending that education will occur without adequate funding works about as well as pretending 'trickle down' will attend to our other budget shortfalls.
Lost in Space
6:06 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Having been in the schools for years, the impact that FSC has on the vast majority of students does not justify its cost.
lastminutemom
6:45 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Eddie E
When do you think the budget situation will change in DeKalb? The reality is, the harsh reality is, that it is unlikely that the tax digest in DeKalb will increase anytime soon. Parts of DeKalb have hit bottom, but really show no signs of improving and probably won't for a while. The current political climate in the state is to spend as little as possible on public education and the voters of this state seem ok with that.
Atkinson needs to slash the central office and the pay of the employees there. But any change in revenue needs to go smaller class sizes and teacher salaries.
If the picture improves, first DCSS has to restore teachers salaries and reduce class size, both costly but both of the utmost importance. The teacher retirement benefits have to be restored and the system must pay back the teachers would they have taken from them. DeKalb may lose the teachers' lawsuit, over the retirement benefits, and have to come up with 50 million dollars,
Keep in mind also that DCSS has no reserves for this year, and very well may end the year with a deficit.
MrMatt
9:14 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Lastminutemom
Thank you thank you...people need to wake up. This is a budget and education crisis...it is a terrible shame the hapless leaders of DCSS put us in this position, but that's where we are at. Sadly, this means the focus MUST be put back on the absolute core essentials for effective teaching/education. Cut central office overhead, and then cut it some more, then reduce their salaries, then cut some more. Put every last cent available into teachers and ensuring we have the right number and right QUALITY of teachers in front of our students. Then, start to build a reserve fund. After all that, if there is any morsel left, consider which "nice-to-have" programs like Fernbank Science Center can continue.
Nick
9:44 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
+2 (Lastminutemom & MrMatt)
Lynn
10:05 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
I believe someone asked this last night during the live blog, but I didn't see a reply. Has there been any discussion of a buyout of teachers with over a certain number (30, 35) of years of service? I'm new to education in GA, but have seen it help in my previous districts. MrMatt and lastminutemom - I appreciate your comments.
Jason Massad
10:29 am on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Lynn, Jason Massad. We're gathering some information from the district this week. Pre-K is one of the issues on the list, as well as magnet allotments. Send me an e-mail at jason.massad@patch.com. and we can talk about your questions.
Ms.
12:33 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Gov. Deal- The Superintendent nor the board have the skills or experience to handle this amount of money, and deficit this massive. Assemble an oversight panel to do what none of these people seem to be capable of doing, straighten this mess out. It will require more than what they want to do, shift people around and change titles, but it can be done. This crisis is approaching the point of no return.