The Lawrence school board will meet Monday with plans to make final decisions on budget cuts to balance a multimillion-dollar shortfall. There are no new options on a list of administrators’ recommended cuts.
Cuts to administration that both did and did not make it into recommendations for the Lawrence school board to consider drew questions from board members Tuesday evening during their budget work session.
Gymnastics and clubs are safe, at least for now, Lawrence school board members decided Tuesday evening during a budget work session.
August Rudisell/The Lawrence Times
The Lawrence school board is set to review district administrators’ latest cost-cutting suggestions during a special budget work session Tuesday.
Among the top 10 items Lawrence Public Schools administrators are prioritizing for budget cuts are gymnastics, first aid kits, and a restructuring of administrative staff.
Lawrence school district staff members are working to find budget cut solutions, according to the superintendent’s Monday update to the school board, and a report indicates that budget woes likely won’t be offset by enrollment increases in the next few years.
August Rudisell/The Lawrence Times
A study from the Kansas Association of School Boards shows that of Kansas’ 18 largest districts by enrollment, Lawrence — with a K-12 enrollment of 11,150 and 20 central office administrators — has the third highest ratio, at 557.5 students per administrator.
Several Lawrence school board members expressed anger during their meeting Monday after Kansas Commissioner of Education Randy Watson retained his job despite video showing him making racist comments about Native Americans.
Lawrence Times graphic
Lawrence school board members on Monday will hear a report comparing USD 497’s administrative structures and salaries to comparable and nearby school districts.
Lawrence school board members on Monday asked building leaders and administrators to provide them with a long list of potential budget cuts, prioritized by those least harmful to students, so they can make final decisions at their March 28 meeting.
