News from The Arc of Aurora

School District Budgets: Heads or Tails?

By Nancy Bowden, The Arc of Aurora Director of Advocacy

I often struggle to make heads or tails out of all the talk about budget cuts for school districts across Colorado, more importantly for Aurora Public Schools (APS) and Cherry Creek School District (CCSD). I wanted to share what I have been able to discern:

APS is reportedly looking at an $18-20 million dollar cut for 2010-2011 with an additional $10-16 million dollars in cuts over the next three years. CCSD is reportedly looking at a $28 million dollar cut for School Year 2010-2011. Both Districts cite changes in the state funding formula for school districts or simply State budget shortfalls as the main culprit for the cuts. CCSD identifies an "increase in costs associated with providing an education that is college and workplace ready"** as an additional cause for its budget shortage. APS points to "reduced revenues to the district"* as its co-conspirator.

Both districts will continue all construction projects (remodeling of existing buildings and construction of new schools and other facilities) thanks to voters in their respective districts. APS is utilizing funding made available from 2008 Bond and Mill Levy monies. CCSD is utilizing funding made available through the passage of Ballot 3B in November '08.

Both districts are altering transportation boundaries by .5 mile for middle and high school students. Middle school students living within 1.5 miles of their schools and high school students living within 2 miles of their schools will not have access to district-provided transportation. Special Education students with transportation needs outlined in their IEPs will be bussed to/from their respective schools.

APS is looking to do away with all but eight to ten (8-10) Special Education para's, according to Sandy Burdelik, Director for Exceptional Student Services. The District will, in turn, hire additional licensed Special Education teachers to help provide the support typically provided by para's, according to Burdelik. Burdelik also states that the remaining para's will be placed in Life Skills and Functional Academic classrooms at the middle and high school levels. APS will cut Functional Academics at the Elementary level, Burdelik says. Further, APS will eliminate all field trips districtwide, all travel reimbursement, and out of district staff development. Salaries will be reduced by .4% and insurance premiums will increase.

CCSD, according to John Staneck, Executive Director for Student Achievement Services, is trying to keep the same amount of teachers, para's and itinerant personnel through attrition, retiring personnel, and shifting some central office staff back into the classroom. Despite budget cuts and shifting of personnel, Staneck wants parents to be assured that FAPE (Free and Appropriate Public Education) will be provided.

School Year '10-'11 looks to be a difficult educational year. The Arc of Aurora will continue to monitor school district budget cuts and work to ensure those we serve are receiving a Free Appropriate Education in the least restrictive environment according to their IEPs.

*Aurora Public Schools, Division of the Superintendent, Proposed Budget Reductions Fact Sheet, January, 2010.
**Mary F. Chesley, Superintendent, CCSD March 31, 2010 letter.