Page 22 - Superintendents Toolkit 2013

Suggested talking points:
Budget Cuts/ Closing school building
As disappointed as we are to have to close the XXXXXX building, it is the one move we can
make that will help the district quickly get back on the road to financial stability and help
preserve educational programming and options for our students.
The state has cut 42 percent in Transportation reimbursements also has made deep cuts to
General State Aid. This school year, the state cut GSA by XX percent, which translates into
about a $XXX,XXX loss for our school district. Last year, the district outspent its revenues by
nearly $ XXX,XXX. We cannot continue down that path.
We already have cut everything we could cut without harming our educational programs.
We realize that this move will impact a lot of people. We studied other budget-cutting op-
tions, but we feel like this move is less harmful overall for our district than the series of cuts
affecting a variety of programs that would have been necessary to generate similar savings.
By closing the XXXXX building, we can save an estimated $XXX,XXX per year while maintain-
ing our educational and extracurricular programs.
Like everyone in our community, we want to save our schools. Providing the best possible
educational opportunities for our students is the top priority. The only way we can ensure
our ability to preserve those educational opportunities going forward is to get our district
back on a path of fiscal stability as quickly as possible.