By Jacob Razo and Shane Fergus, Editors
Starting next year, the Kaneland district will have a budget deficit of approximately $930,000 due to an unexpected state budget cut that gives schools less money. Because of the Illinois budget cuts, Kaneland is forced to also cut from its budget.
During the meeting on Jan. 9, Superintendent Jeff Schuler recommended making $900,000 in cuts, however the board voted 7-0 that the district needs to cut $1.1 million, which is 20 percent more than the $930,000 necessary. This is to make sure there is room for error in case any mistakes are made in the budget-cutting process.
“Right now, we are going through the process of what we are going to cut from the three main categories, starting with operational services and then possibly cutting, if necessary, staff workload. Lastly, if it comes down to it, we might have to cut into student programs,” Dr. Julie-Ann Fuchs, Assistant Superintendent for Business, said.
In order to spread budget cuts equally throughout the district, administrators are using a cost center approach that divides the cuts into four groups: elementary, middle school, high school and district levels.
Each cost center will be cut by the same percentage so that the cuts are spread equally throughout the district. However, because district and administrative services make up 56 percent of the district’s overall budget and include transportation, operations and maintenance, technology, and special education, that area will have the most cuts.
“The district’s overall spending reduction process will be similar to the way the district handled the budget cuts in the past. The main goal will be to reduce spending overall in the district while hopefully not impact the students,” Fuchs said.
So far, district officials have not yet decided where the cuts will be made. The goal was to have a list of potential cuts for the $1.1 million by the February board meeting. Either way, new cuts will have to be made because of a decrease in money the district is receiving from the state of Illinois.
“I think it’ll limit the activities taken pursuit at Kaneland, and I think it’ll decrease a lot of opportunities for kids,” said freshman Kristin Staub.