Published: November 12, 2009 09:18 am      

District goals, budget discussed at report

CLINTON — Between 80 and 90 community members and Clinton School District staff attended a State of the District Report on Wednesday morning at Rastrelli’s Tuscany in Clinton.

Superintendent Richard Basden gave a 40-minute address, talking about school enrollment and summarizing the results of the district’s visit from the Iowa Department of Education last month. Basden also reported on the budget crisis the district is facing with other Iowa districts in the wake of a 10 percent across-the-board cut by Gov. Chet Culver.

“We’re coming onto hard times,” said Basden. “We’re taking a look at everything we can.”

Basden said the district is struggling with finding ways to make the cuts, which amount to a deficit of $2.15 million in the budget.

Board Secretary Gayle Isaac has said that the district likely will use inter-fund borrowing to cover the deficit, but it will only be a temporary solution.

Basden said the district could face an even larger state cut next year. He estimates it will be about $4 million, nearly twice this year’s amount. In that event, the district will be facing a deficit of more than $6 million.

About 80 percent of the district’s budget goes toward personnel and salary, and the district’s reach to cut instructors is limited. Teachers’ contracts are protected by state law.

Basden announced in a school board meeting Monday that the district will lay off an administrative staff member, and a hiring freeze or similar layoffs are possible in the future. The district also is trimming the budgets of individual buildings.

Basden enlisted the help of staff members last week with a letter in reference to the budget cuts. At Wednesday morning’s meeting, he asked for the same assistance from community members.

“We have some challenges ahead of us, and you’re going to hear more and more about it,” Basden told the crowd. “And again, it’s not just the Clinton School District.”

Basden also announced the school district’s official enrollment figures for 2009. This year’s total is 4,072 students, a slight decrease from 2008’s total of 4,086. Basden said the similar numbers could be an indication that declining enrollment numbers in the district are leveling off, after decreasing by more than 600 students in the last 10 years.

Basden also gave news on construction projects in the district. He said the district will use the successful passing of the one percent sales tax referendum to install air conditioning in Bluff and Whittier elementaries, to build a new aquatic complex at Clinton High School and to possibly start construction on a new middle school.

Basden reminded the crowd that the funds from the tax increase can only be put toward construction projects, explaining that the district is unable to use the funds to help fill the deficit from the state cuts. He said he’s received feedback from community members asking why the district is undertaking construction projects in the face of the budget crisis.

“It’s two different pots of money,” Basden explained, adding that many areas of the district’s budget are restrictive when it comes to allotted use.

Basden also gave data reports on academic achievement Wednesday. Clinton has been identified as a District in Need of Assistance by the state in the areas of reading and math at Clinton and Lincoln high schools, as well as Washington and Lyons middle schools. Two elementary schools, Bluff and Jefferson, are under their target percentages for reading.

Basden said the district is working on improving the numbers and added that the district’s graduation rate increased by more than 2 percent in 2008, while its dropout rate decreased by about 50 students.

Clinton High School’s vocational programs also were highlighted Wednesday. The school has culinary, metals, auto and construction/woodwork programs. Basden said the programs have helped get jobs for graduating students who are going into trade-oriented careers.

Basden finished his presentation with an acknowledgment that the district faces a challenging future, but said there also are positive aspects to focus on.

“We’re the only district in Iowa that has every-building PTAs and a city-wide PTA,” he said, adding later, “We cannot go alone. We cannot.”