Proposal to Consolidate/Close Schools and Facilities

1
Proposal to Consolidate/Close Schools and
Facilities

• Shoreline School District
• Hearing Presentation
• Revised February 28, 2007

2
Our Commitment to Shorelines Future . . .

• Preserve maintain outstanding instructional
  programs and services for students and families
• Maximize operational efficiencies
• Restore ending fund balance

3
Financial Review . . .

• 2005-06 Ending Fund Balance (EFB) -
  2.7 million
• 2006-07 Estimated EFB
  - 1.9 million
• 2007-08 Goal EFB Balanced Budget w/No
  Deficit

4
How did we get here?

• Spending beyond our means
• Expenditures exceeding revenues
• Overstaffing
• No adjustments for declining enrollment

5
How do we return fiscal stability?

• Live within our means
• Step 1 Reduce Staffing
• Step 2 Improve our financial systems
• Step 3 Improve operational efficiencies

6
What other funds are available?

• We are collecting the maximum amount of local
  levy funds for maintenance and operational
  expenses in the general fund. The levy lid is
  set by the state.
• Bond/Capital Funds cannot be used for general
  fund operational expenses. (Interest from
  property sale can be used for instructional
  materials but not staffing.)
• Transportation/Vehicle Funds cannot be used
  for general fund expenditures - it is restricted
  for use in replacement of buses.

7
What have we done to date?

• Reduced 4.7 Million in Spring 2006
• Certificated Non-Administrative Staff 37
  FTE (6)
• Classified Staff 12.4 FTE (3)
• School Administration
  2 FTE (8)
• District Administration
  2.5 FTE (14)
• Return to the 6 period-day at the middle school
  for 2007-08
• District Advisory Committee Recommendation
  w/request that we revisit the 7 period-day when
  EFB is restored. Approximate Savings 600,000

8
What work is in progress?

• Step 2 Improvement of Business/HR Systems and
  Infrastructure . . .
• Hiring of experienced leadership in
  Washington State school finance
• Coordination and internal controls are
  strengthening
• the districts ability to monitor financial
  operations
• Development of systems for accountability in
  hiring and position control

9

What we need to do . . .

• Step 3 Increase Operational Efficiencies
• Spring 2007 Goal
• To reduce operational expenses by more than 2
  million for implementation in September 2007 in
  order to preserve our support and instructional
  programs.

10
Recommendations from District Advisory Committee
. . .

• Reduce the number of our current traditional
  elementary schools from 11 to 9 - Close North
  City and Sunset
• Savings approximately 1.4 million
• Move Home Education Exchange and Room Nine
  Community School to existing sites to reduce
  overhead expenses
• Savings approximately 300,000

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Why Close Elementary Schools?

• From October 1996 to October 2006 K-6
  enrollment
• declined 917 students. Based upon the current
  cohort, enrollment in October 2007 is projected
  to decline more.
• During the same period, Shoreline opened three
  sites that serve K-6 students - Meridian Park
  Elementary, Room Nine Community School and Home
  Education Exchange.
• Professional demographic study indicates
  continued decline and then slight growth - with a
  projection of approximately the current
  enrollment in 2020.

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Shorelines History of Consolidations/Closures. .
.

• One high school
• 1986 - Shoreline
• Three middle schools/junior high schools
• 1971 - Cordell Hull
• 1973 - Butler
• 1977 - Morgan
• Ten elementary schools
• 1965 - Hamlin Park
• 1971 - Cedarbrook, Cromwell Park, Paramount
  Park, Richmond Beach, Ronald
• 1982 - Aldercrest, Hillwood, Horizon View,
  Meridian

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Closure/Consolidation Considerations . . .

• Classroom Capacity/Size of Facility
• Number of Resident Students Impacted
• Utility Costs
• Transportation Costs for Resident Students
• Building Condition/Meng Analysis
• Geographical/Feeder Pattern Balance
• Site Size and Access

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HOME EDUCATION EXCHANGE (HEE) AND ROOM NINE
COMMUNITY SCHOOL EXPENDITURE COMPARISONS PER
STUDENT AT THE SITE (Not Including Transportation
Costs or District Indirect Costs) 2005-2006
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Impact of Reducing to Nine Elementary Schools . .
.

• October 2006 -
• Average size of 11 elementary schools was 398
  students.
• October 2007 -
• Average size of 9 elementary schools, including
  current Room Nine Community School enrollment, is
  projected at less than 498 students - average of
  4 more classrooms per site.

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What is current available space?
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Is there adequate room in 9 sites?
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Is there adequate room in 9 sites?

• Current 11 Elementary Sites and Room Nine
  Community School
• Current Regular Ed Classroom Use 173
• Current Special Program Classroom Use
  42
• Total Current Classroom Use 215
• Proposed 9 School Communities
• Teaching Stations (w/24 student capacity)
  249
• Teaching Stations (w/less than 24 capacity)
  8
• Total Teaching Stations Available 257
• 257-215 42 classrooms or average 4-5 per
  site (not including portables) for use as Title
  I/LAP, Resource Room, art, music, before/after
  school, The Works, etc.
• Not all special program classrooms require 24
  capacity

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Proposed Closures Have No Impact on Class-size .
. .

• 2006-07 Staffing Ratios for Basic Ed Classrooms
• Kindergarten 231 (Classes vary from 14-24)
• Grades 1-4 24.41 (Classes vary from 17-34)
• Grades 5/6 271 (Classes vary from 20-34)
• 2007-08 Staffing Ratios for Basic Ed Classrooms
• Kindergarten 231
• Grades 1-4 24.4 1
• Grades 5/6 271
• Although these represent the average
  class-size in Shoreline, there are always
  class-sizes lower and higher than these staffing
  numbers.

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Proposed Closures Will Not Impact Elementary
Program Offerings . . .

• No anticipated elimination of programs
• No anticipated changes in student services or
  support
• In fact
• School consolidations and/or closures are
  proposed to protect these resources.

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What will happen to unique or special items if
schools close?

• Committees comprised of students, parents
  and staff will be formed to make decisions about
  preserving in place and/or relocating those items
  that are unique and special to any closed
  building.

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Additional Committee Work for 2006-07 and Beyond
. . .

• Boundary and Transportation Committee
• creating nine new learning communities
• Facilities Task Force Committee
• planning for Shoreline Schools land bank -
• sell, lease or joint-use agreements?
• Optional Programs and Services Committee
• efficiencies and impact on core P-12 mission

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Other Issues to Address . . .

• State under funding of programs
• Example Special Ed (Fircrest), Transportation
• Impact of state pass-through on local funds
• Examples COLAs, Benefits, Retirement
• Inequity of state funding formulas
• Example Federal Way lawsuit