Further cuts in District 300?

The latest version of the Community Unit District 300 proposed list of reductions features a couple of changes, but school board members will save its discussion for a special meeting set for Wednesday.

District 300 Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Crates glossed over the second version of the proposed budget cuts Monday night, highlighting suggestions from the community finance committee.

The committee did not agree with the administration’s proposal to eliminate nursing positions in an effort to save the district more than $200,000. That line item has now been removed, Crates said.

However, the proposal now includes about $400,000 in reductions in special education. The board did not discuss the item and said further information would be provided at Wednesday’s meeting.

The finance committee recommended reducing the district’s non-grant-funded travel by 10 percent. Last year, the board spent $143,000 on conference and training registration fees and another $80,000 on travel.

Other recommendations included renting custodial uniforms and increasing student fees about 5 percent. The increased fees would result in the district generating about $71,000 in additional revenue.

The district is struggling to cut about $8.5 million from the 2011-2012 budget. Administrators are attempting to trim about $3.3 million in programs and another $5.2 million in wage and benefit concessions.

If the district and the teachers union are unable to meet a reasonable negotiation, administrators have warned program cuts could include eliminating the alternative school and restructuring secondary programming.

The proposal is based on the assumption the state will make about $19 million in categorical payments before the end of the school year.

“This is the best-case scenario,” Crates said.

The district’s board study committee will review the final list of reductions at a special meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Westfield Community School, 2100 Sleepy Hollow Road, Algonquin.