teaching positions eliminated from historic budget

Boundary County School Board on Tuesday approved a $10.6 million budget for 2009-10 that includes the elimination of 4.75 teachers.

The spending plan, which is 5 percent lower than last year, also will not reduce the pay for the district’s 226 employees as proposed.

“The budget was grueling to get through,” said school board chairwoman Melanie Staples. “We found ways to fill in the gaps and not have to cut. Diane (Cartwright, clerk-treasurer) did a good job. I commend her.”

The reduction in the budget is a first in Idaho, Dr. Don Bartling told The Herald.

“It’s the first time in Idaho that there’s been a smaller budget (than the previous year’s budget),” Bartling said.

Budgets are traditionally increased 3 to 4 percent annually to reflect cost-of-living expenses. The budget for 2008-09 was $11.2 million, which is $538,000 more than next year’s spending plan.

The state cut its allocations to school districts for next year. The school district gets 80 percent of it funding from the state.

District will get 5 percent less money for administrators’ pay and 2.6 percent less money for teachers, secretaries, custodians, aides, bus drivers and cafeteria.

The local school board discussed passing on those cuts, but ended up freezing everyone’s pay. Boundary County Education Association, which includes the school district’s 100 teachers, on Tuesday approved the one-year contract. Sixty percent supported the pay freeze.

School officials also cut spending by not filling a custodian’s position at Bonners Ferry High School and reducing the full-time bus mechanic’s position from full time to part time, The full-time program for gifted students was reduced to quarter-time.

The elimination of teaching positions was done through resignations and retirements; no one was laid off.

Sixth-grade teacher Dave Gause retired from Mt. Hall last week. The position will not be filled and sixth-graders will be sent to Boundary County Middle School in the fall.

Traditionally sixth-graders at Mt. Hall had the choice to stay there or go to the middle school. Mt. Hall was the only school with the option.