Putnam City School District Rewiews Proposals to Cut Cost (FL)
January 10, 2011
With the Putnam City School District facing a 10 percent funding cut next year, Superintendent Paul Hurst has unveiled to school board members a series
of proposals he hopes will save money.
During a special school board work session this week, Hurst outlined fo ur proposals aimed at cutting costs. The proposals were made after school officials were informed by the state Education Department about further cuts to next year’s funding.
One proposal calls for a 10 percent reduction in the hourly pay rates for tutors, translators and others who assist teachers.
Two proposals call for adjusting staffing in the gifted and talented program and the district’s curriculum department.
Hurst said he hopes to cut costs by closing three of the five gifted and talented positions left open by retirements this year. School officials also hope to save money in the curriculum department by shifting some of the curriculum specialist salaries to federal funds and reducing the number of days the specialists work.
The fourth proposal Hurst has suggested would cut back on the number of security officers employed by the district.
Jim Hooper, the district’s director of operations, said district administration is evaluating all aspects of the campus police department and the deals in place for contracted security services.
School officials are looking at cutting between one and three officers. Officials also hope to reduce the number of contracted security officers by six.
School board member Becky Halliburton expressed concerns about cutting positions, especially for the gifted and talented program. Halliburton said she feared having fewer gifted and talented teachers would lessen student achievement.