Staff cuts, frozen salaries in future for Dist. 300

Community Unit District 300 would balance its 2010-11 budget with a combination of staff cuts, an across-the-board salary freeze, furlough days and program reductions under proposals the district administration presented Wednesday night.

The reductions, district officials hope, will keep its budget in the black next year as the state delays payments and federal stimulus money dries up.

Because many of the measures require bargaining with the district's employee unions, the final list of cuts will not fully emerge until after the district's negotiations with its unions are complete sometime next year.

With no end in sight for the state's financial troubles, district officials acknowledged the process that began with $2 million in cuts to this year's budget would likely continue well into the future.

"This isn't a one-year problem," board President Joe Stevens said. "It's going to continue."

According to a Wednesday announcement, the district is contemplating between $3 million and $6 million in cuts for next year's budget.

The district estimates it could save almost $3 million by freezing salaries, instituting furlough days, eliminating overtime and reducing substitute teacher pay rates.

Under the administration's proposals, the district would also cut a number of programs by 10 percent, which would entail eliminating almost 40 jobs.

The proposals would eliminate music and physical education for kindergartners as well as reducing the number of school counselors, psychologists and social workers.

The administration is set to present a formal proposal on Jan. 15. The board is set to take action on the reductions that don't require negotiation on March 8.