Criticism over Dist. 220's $2.4 mil budget reduction plan

Public criticism of Barrington Unit District 220's plan to cut $2.4 million from next year's budget fell largely into two categories Tuesday night.

By far the most prevalent opinion expressed at the school board meeting was that the district would sacrifice one of its greatest strengths by eliminating two of its 10 reading resource teachers.

The second most popular opinion dismissed the board's claim of external financial pressures as the reason for the cuts and blamed them instead on what some residents felt were excessive raises promised by the three-year teachers' contract approved last fall.

Board members expressed sensitivity to the first concern, assuring the teachers, parents and even a young student that a staffing reduction was not intended to harm a program that helps struggling readers catch up with classmates.

But board President Brian Battle personally rejected the argument that the district's teachers are overcompensated for their work.

"I'm not going to apologize for the level of pay of our teachers," Battle said.

Comment on that issue had come from several district residents, most stridently from conservative political commentator Jack Roeser.

"Your costs are to the moon!" Roeser complained to the board. "You guys are the worst managers. You would be dead in a month in business!"

Battle said the cuts are forced by financial pressures from a still-weak economy as well as increased uncertainty over the timeliness of state payments.

The district plans to save about $1 million by holding it back from the $3 million usually spent on summer maintenance among its 12 schools.

The remaining $1.4 million comes from personnel and program cuts board members said they hope will cause as little change as possible to students' classroom experience.

The board is proposing cutting the equivalent of about 15 full-time employees from among certified staff. However, by adding two more contingency positions and an elementary literacy facilitator, the net reduction is expected to be around 12 full-time employees.

At the elementary level, around nine full-time positions are expected to be cut - nearly one teacher for each of the eight elementary schools as well as the two reading resource teachers.

But elementary enrollment is expected to drop by about 98 students next year, meaning that about 5 full-time positions would have been cut anyway.

Some of the positions being cut would be up for retirement this year, including two custodial jobs, an assistant superintendent and an employee benefits secretary. Faculty cuts will cause average classroom sizes to creep up slightly, Battle said.

A formal vote on the cuts is anticipated on March 2.