School Budget Delays Repairs

Spokane School District likely will delay painting and roofing projects this year under a proposed $193 million budget that shifts $2 million to salary increases, new positions and special programs.

The public can comment on the suggested spending plan at noon Wednesday during a hearing at district headquarters, 200 N. Bernard.

School officials call the proposal one of the most “status quo” budgets ever, with a spending increase of just 1.5 percent.

That’s partly because the student population isn’t expected to grow and may even drop slightly, said Associate Superintendent Walt Rulffes.

An enrollment of 30,291 is predicted, compared with last year’s 30,222 students.

The district will spend about $1 million on maintenance and improvement projects, instead of the $3 million usually put into those areas, said Rulffes.

Maintenance Director Richard Laughbon said he requested more than $5 million for such projects.

Teachers might want to wait awhile to request new equipment or furniture, Rulffes said.

Yet students and parents still will see some big changes.

More students will get to participate in afterschool sports. An after-school program popular with Indian students will be cut. Principals at large elementary schools will have someone to help them with discipline.

Two programs surviving the cuts are the Libby Center’s after-school homework sessions and the Saturday Academy, a series of classes for gifted students.

Here are details of some of the changes:

The district is spending $215,000 to hire “facilitators” to assist principals at 12 elementary schools. Eight people will divide their time among the schools, helping with discipline, parent involvement and teacher evaluations.

“It’s difficult for the principals just to be able to do it all,” said Assistant Superintendent Mark Anderson.

The new employees will work at Audubon, Bemiss, Grant, Holmes, Cooper, Longfellow, Willard, Garfield, Whitman, Regal, Roosevelt and Stevens elementary schools.

Teachers will spend an extra day in training at a cost of $500,000. Teachers now will get eight days for preparation and training.

A new contract with 220 secretaries and clerical staff will cost taxpayers $80,000, which includes a 1 percent raise and a new security program.

Fewer students would get cut from sports with a $120,000 plan to hire more coaches. Under a tentative agreement with the teachers’ union, each high school would get at least five extra assistant coaches. Three would coach football, golf and tennis; the others would be placed where needed.

Lower-level schools would get additional coaches as more kids sign up for sports.

For elementary schools, at least, that would mean no child gets cut.

Now, he said, “Often you get a student who hasn’t grown into their feet yet. They get cut. It’s bad on their self-esteem.”

A $200,000 drop in federal money means the loss of an after-school program for Native American kids.

Some 240 kids attended the sessions at Bancroft School on West Spofford for extra help with school work and to learn their native languages.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s a terrible loss,” said Pam Austin, who helped coordinate the program. “It was doing great things to inspire the youngsters to stay in school or return to school.”

The money also provided evening meals and transportation for some students. The program ends Aug. 15.

Students who are bused to school because walking is too dangerous might get new sidewalks now that $250,000 in state money has been restored.

State law used to require the “hazardous walking” money be spent on busing students. Not anymore. Spokane education officials believe they can save money by building sidewalks and hiring crossing guards instead.

That would mean walking instead of riding buses for some kids who live within a mile of school. Now they get special bus rides because their walk is risky, said Joe Madsen, district security chief.

Students on those routes may cross arterials. Others have no sidewalks.

Improvements are proposed for areas around Chase Middle School and Moran Prairie, Mullan Road, Arlington, Pratt, Hamblen and Adams elementary schools.

Last year, federal money paid for a pilot program for students with behavior problems. District officials decided to continue it on their own this year at a cost of about $50,500.

The money pays for a teacher and assistant who work in a classroom with only 10 elementary and middle school students at a time. The students land there after disrupting their regular classes so much that other students suffer, said Mary Brown, student services supervisor.

Children get extra counseling while continuing their studies.

“The initial results have been promising,” Brown said.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: BUDGET HEARING People can comment on the budget at noon Wednesday at a hearing with the Spokane School Board. The hearing will be on the first floor of the administration building, 200 N. Bernard in Spokane.