APS Teammates,

I have written you many updates to keep you apprised of the budget challenges that we are facing, and I hope you have found them useful.    Since early January we have provided email updates, a PowerPoint brief, fact sheet, FAQs, podcasts and a new budget website so that staff would be more informed when surveys were sent.  Questions could be submitted to the budget hotline so all staff would be well informed should you have chosen to address the Board of Education.   

As I’ve publicly stated, we have worked harder to be more collaborative and transparent than ever before in these challenging times of K-12 funding cuts.  It is unfortunate that we have to go through these reductions because of the State’s budget deficit.  Yet, I am pleased that we are in a sound financial condition as we address these state cuts because of excellent management by our BOE and Division of Finance.   

As you may remember, last year we gave the largest pay raise in the Denver Metro area to our employees.  It was well deserved for all the success we have been achieving for our students during the last few years.   We also made cuts ($3m in 2007-2008 and $10m in 2008-2009) without having a RIF (Reduction in Force) or severe impacts on our students.   Now we are in the most challenging economic period APS has ever experienced through no fault of our own.  Today, instead of just giving you data, I would like to speak to you from my heart and in the context of my personal and professional experience.   

I have been through times like this before with large budget cuts.  It is never easy.  No matter what decisions are made, there is no way to satisfy everyone.  I assure you that our BOE and Leadership Team efforts for the last three years have tried to honor the “Trust, Teamwork and Transparency” theme that is our district culture.   Being unable to satisfy everyone in times like this does not mean we haven’t listened in the finest tradition of trust and teamwork.  Because we have to balance the budget we all have to tighten our belts.  With 83% of our General Fund allocated to salaries and benefits, budget reduction decisions will impact our people.  While the federal government can go into a deficit, the state governments and school districts cannot.   

During times like these, there is a lot of stress at all levels as we try to find the best solution with limited resources.  Last night, we had a BOE meeting where over 20 people shared their concerns about the budget reduction proposals.  There were also about 100 supporters in attendance.  Parents, teachers, students and classified staff spoke with eloquence and passion about the impact of proposed cuts.    This was the third BOE meeting where large crowds attended to express their views.  These meetings are an excellent example of democracy and transparency in action.     

I am proud of our Board of Education and our Leadership Team for analyzing the inputs we have received over the last couple of months.  We have worked hard, not only during the day, but also during evenings and weekends, to review all the surveys, emails, hotline questions, and BOE meeting testimonies so we could make time-critical decisions as we plan for next year.   Now is the time for some decisions.  Our BOE, the best Board of Education in the state of Colorado this year, has worked courageously to make the best decisions based on the collaborative process we established.  Collaboration does not always lead to 100% agreement, especially when budget cuts must be made.  As Superintendent, I fully support the guidance our board members gave to our Leadership Team last night.  Because of the upcoming state cuts that are forcing APS reductions, all of us will have to work harder and smarter in the future to meet these new fiscal restraints.   

We have tried to make the adjustments as fair as possible, but I know there will be many who will not agree with all or some of the identified reductions.  I respectfully ask you to give them a chance, and I encourage us all to remain focused on our main purpose of accelerating student achievement and closing the achievement gaps.   

These are times that test a team.  We have made amazing progress over the last three years.  The upcoming budget reductions will require us to adjust the way we do business in education today, tomorrow and in the years to come.  I am truly convinced that our team can weather this storm and come out stronger in the end—for our students, always for our students.   

View the adjusted budget cuts based on the guidance from the BOE last Tuesday night:

-Quadrant Chart–items approved are Blue in Quadrant 1 

-Message from the BOE: http://superintendent.aurorak12.org/budget/boe-letter/

JB 

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