The Jackson Board of Education on Thursday released a letter saying that they will be proposing a budget that cuts $18 million in expenses – and forces it to immediately shut and sell the Rosenauer Elementary School, as well as other cuts.
“This is a difficult message to share, it contains heartbreaking information that directly impacts many things we love about our district,” a message sent to parents reads. “Given the size of our continued budget deficit – and the Department of Education requiring us to submit a balanced budget in order to operate our schools in September – there is simply no other way than to move forward with impactful decisions, including the immediate closing and readying for sale of the Sylvia Rosenauer Elementary School.”
The full list of major cuts:
- The immediate closing and preparing for sale of Rosenauer Elementary School, which will provide the profits of a sale, and savings of operating, energy, and maintenance budgets. This will result in those students being redistributed to other elementary schools for the 2024-2025 school year (thereby raising class size elsewhere in the district).
- Cutting 70 positions in all areas, including administration: cuts to teachers will result in increased class size districtwide. NOTE: The vast majority of these cut positions will be accomplished through attrition (i.e. not rehiring for a position when someone resigns or retires)
- Eliminating Courtesy Busing throughout the district
- Reducing the High School Athletics budget – the method to accomplish this has yet to be determined
- Drastic reductions to school and department supply and services budgets
- Reducing substitutes (teacher and paraprofessional)
- Eliminating all late buses districtwide
- Eliminating the middle school holding center (supervision for students staying after school for help or activities and waiting for a late bus)
- Eliminating afterschool enrichment programs districtwide
- Reducing co-curricular advisors and clubs
- Reductions to budgets for event staff, homebound instruction
The BOE members made it clear that they have no intention of approving the budget themselves. However, with a state monitor making all the decisions in Jackson, the proposed budget is still likely to be the one that goes into effect.
The severe financial crunch Jackson is facing is primarily due to the S-2 cuts, which cut tens of millions of dollars in state aid to the school district.
