Classrooms may get a little more crowded with the potential loss of 60 teachers in District 11
/ FOX21: Sade Malloy
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- After months of crunching the numbers, Colorado Springs School District 11 has a preliminary budget. The $250 million education cuts statewide means the district will lose $10.5 million.
"I don't like it. I think it's a useless cut, Dustin Matthews, Colorado Springs resident, said. "There's much better things to cut."
To make up for the loss the district is planning some major changes, including increasing the student-teacher ratio numbers from 23:1 to 24:1. The change will cut 60 positions, which will be lost through attrition, but D-11's superintendent has made a recommendation to reserve 20 of the teachers.
The district is also looking at using their reserves, two furlough days, budget reductions with travel and supplies, encouraging teachers close to retirement to use a health Flex Plan and cutting administrative positions. There is no word on how many admin jobs are cut or which positions, but school officials tell us employees have been notified.
School officials said they're trying to keep the impact to a minimum, but some locals feel the damage has already been done.
"I think it's already starting to hurt us. A lot of the tests our kids take - we're falling behind," Jared Scrivens, Colorado Springs resident, said.
Do you have recommendations for District 11 on what they should do to save the $10.5 million? Leave a comment below to share your ideas.
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