District 300 reviews cost of restructuring options

Community Unit District 300 could gain $7.7 million by restructuring middle and high schools — or it could lose $3 million, adding to a projected deficit.

District administrators presented the wide range of financial outcomes, tied to various restructuring plans, at Monday night’s school board meeting.

The financial data was the last piece of information the school board needed to evaluate the restructuring options, which would take effect in the 2011-12 school year.

Superintendent-elect Michael Bregy said he plans to make a decision on which plan is the most prudent in the next two weeks.

“We need to make a decision in the next couple of weeks ... so counselors have time to build the schedules,” he said.

Bregy said the decision does not require a board vote because it would not change graduation requirements, but he will seek the board’s direction in any case.

The option with the greatest cost-savings would eliminate exploratory classes for middle-schoolers and shift high schools from a four-by-four block schedule to a three-by-four schedule, meaning students could only take up to three classes per quarter.

That option, which could result in as many as 130 teachers losing their jobs, is not popular. It would reduce options for students and potentially leave them less prepared for year-end assessments.

“We know that the three-by-four block is not best for our students,” Bregy said.

But unless the board can achieve roughly $5.2 million in wage and benefit concessions from the teachers union, the district may be forced to go to a three-by-four block in the fall.

“I think of Dr. Arndt starting $29 million in debt,” Bregy said, referring to retiring Superintendent Ken Arndt. “I certainly don’t want to start my career $29 million in debt.”

Estimates of District 300’s budget deficit for the 2011-12 school year range from $5 million to $18 million.

The district has laid off more than 380 employees this spring but hopes to rehire most of them, depending on funding levels, student registration and restructuring.

Four negotiation sessions with the teachers union are scheduled for later this month.