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No Consensus on Looming School Budget Cuts

Clark County School trustees expect to have their initial list of proposed budget cuts by December 11.

Schools Superintendent Walt Rulffes has said the nation's fifth-largest school district faces massive layoffs and the possible loss of arts, music and sports programs if it is to cut $120 million. Half of that money must come directly from schools.

Clark County school administrators and trustees held a special meeting Wednesday to talk how they're going to implement looming state budget cuts.

They reviewed results of contentious town hall meetings that drew more than 1,200 people over two days last month. They also reviewed principal surveys.

What school board trustees found is that there is no clear consensus on what to cut. There was more consensus on what parents wanted to keep. They want extra curricular activities and athletic programs to stay followed by special education facilitators and the desire to keep class sizes as small as possible.

Although there was no real consistency in the parent responses on what to cut, the suggestions included cutting administrative staff, eliminating one district region, doing away with enpowerment schools, and eliminating the block schedule at high schools.

"The principals had different responses from the parents and even the parents who were surveyed had different responses from the parents at the townhall meetings, so it was all over the map. I think what will make this so difficult is that there is no clear consensus about what we should cut," said Associate Superintendent Joyce Haldeman, CCSD.