Robbinsdale schools shares budget cut proposal

Robbinsdale Area Schools’ General Fund is being reduced by $17.4 million due to declining enrollment, expiring COVID-19 grant money, increasing labor costs and daily expenses as well as state funding that has not kept pace with inflation.

To stay within budget, Interim Superintendent Marti Voight recently presented the board with nearly $15 million in proposed budget cuts.

Suggested cuts include the following:

• 4 administrative positions, costing $973,152.

• 6 building administration positions, costing $932,000.

• 50.35 full-time licensed staff, costing $5,374,756.

• 47.83 full-time education assistants, costing $2,090,137.

• 9.97 program assistants, costing $679,613.

• 4 full-time support staff, costing $257,659.

• 4.2 full-time overage staff, costing $368,483.

• Overtime, extended contracts and extra-duty pay costing $1,412,433.

• 6 technology positions costing $665,600.

• 15 student services employees, including teachers on special assignments costing $1,706,845.

• 1 partial position for community education costing $35,079.

• 1 support staff position and 1 partial position in the communications department costing $84,828.

• 1.35 positions and 1 partial in the business services costing $138,450.

• 1 support staff position partial benefits director in human resources costing $132,682.

• 1 support staff in nutrition services costing $72,492.

For fiscal year 2023, the district made $2.4 million in reductions:

• $300,000 in supplies

• $1,100,000 in purchased services

• $30,00 in limiting out-of-state travel unless required

• $250,000 in proposed removal of stipends on contracts

• $500,00 in contracts for vendors

• $20,000 in reduced spending on concert recordings

• $100,000 in equipment replacements

• $150,000 in transportation reduction

The board was scheduled to have a financial advisory committee meeting May 14 with preliminary 2024-25 reductions and preliminary budget. On Monday, May 20, the board will hold a work session on the 2024-25 budget. The budget will then be at the business meeting first as a nonaction item on June 4 and finally as an action item June 17.

The presentation and recorded board meeting from May 6 may be viewed online at rdale.org/discover/school-board.