APS funding levels to stay about same

Funding levels at Albuquerque schools next year will remain about where they are now, with the district planning to trim its budget in other ways. In fact, the district may end up adding teachers next year to reduce class sizes.

But in the years to come, expect to see a more aggressive cost-cutting strategy on tap, which could include moving attendance boundaries and closing under-enrolled schools. Such drastic measures are not imminent, but there was broad agreement at a Friday board meeting that the district must adapt to a “new normal” of state revenues that aren’t keeping pace with the district’s increasing fixed costs, like utilities and health care.

“We’re out of Band-Aids, to be honest, and this is the last year, in our opinion, that we can do a Band-Aid,” said Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Winston Brooks. “Beyond this, we really do have to look at a five-year strategic financial plan, because we do not think it’s going to get a lot better.”

The APS school board met Friday morning specifically to discuss the budget. Although it is still unclear how much APS will get in state revenues next year, the district is under pressure to tell principals what their school budgets will be next year so they can plan. Schools’ budgets will remain largely unchanged unless their student enrollment changes.

Depending on the fate of a bill now on Governor Susana Martinez’s desk, some schools may get additional teaching staff. For the past few years, districts have had a waiver allowing them to exceed state class size maximums to save money. APS has had a 7 percent waiver, which means one or two more elementary students per classroom and up to 11 extra students in a high school teacher’s daily class-load.

Senate Bill 464, which has passed both chambers of the Legislature and gone to the governor, would allow the Public Education Department to continue extending such waivers. If the bill is not signed, APS will have to hire 50 to 100 more teachers to get back into compliance. That cost is estimated at between $3 million and $6 million. The plans discussed Friday assumed the bill will not be signed and budget $6 million for hiring new teachers next year.

To offset that cost and other expenses, the district is considering multiple small tweaks outside of schools, including reducing the benefits of a particular group of about 1,800 retirees who retired before 2005. The district currently contributes up to $500 per year for life insurance for each of those retirees, who in turn contribute $34 per year. Several board members said APS can no longer afford to offer that benefit. Several suggested gradually decreasing the district contribution until it is eliminated. Retirees who left the district after 2005 can still buy life insurance through APS, but must pay the whole premium. Eliminating the benefit completely would save about $1 million.

“I think it will be difficult. I have a number of retirees in my district, some of whom are education retirees, but I think the greater good demands that we support current staff,” said board member Lorenzo Garcia.

— This article appeared on page C1 of the Albuquerque Journal