School Board Adopts Budget, Approves Program Cuts

The Hatboro-Horsham school board on Monday adopted its $83.8 million 2011-2012 budget, which calls for tax hikes of $42 and $61 for Hatboro and Horsham homeowners, respectively.

Under the spending plan, which levies a 1.4 percent tax increase, homeowners would pay an extra $34.50 for every $100,000 of assessed value.

While the new tax rate may be set, still up in the air are the total number of teacher furloughs that will balance the district’s budget. Initially, officials had said 15 to 20 teachers would need to be furloughed.

On Monday, Superintendent Curtis Griffin, in a presentation detailing program cuts, said the projected number now is 6.6 teaching positions. He said attrition of nine teaching positions – amounting to a savings of roughly $764,000 every year - helped the board arrive at the lower number of furloughs, which, he said could be reduced even more. 

“I think it’ll be less,” Griffin said after the meeting, noting that it was too soon to know for sure.

Teacher furloughs will be acted on during the board’s first or second meeting in August, he said. But, he said furloughs and demotions will be carried out “as needed,” meaning if a position is certain to be cut prior to the board meeting, Griffin said the staff member would be notified.

Much is predicated on several factors, some of which are out of the district’s hands. For one, Hatboro-Horsham, like other districts statewide, was hit hard by projected state budget cuts. One that was unexpected, in particular, amounts to $430,000 in social security subsidies. Griffin said he’s hopeful that that money will be restored.

And, even though positions could be cut, Griffin said a half dozen others still need to be filled, which provides another level of uncertainty from a budgetary standpoint. Another factor in the furlough equation is that some teaching positions may be realigned so as to absorb the impact of the program cuts, Griffin said.

While furloughs are still to be determined, the board did vote to approve Griffin’s recommended program curtailments.

• Reduce two sections of math, science, social studies and physical education at . (Changes could result in the reduction of 1.33 teaching position).
• Reduce two sections of business and computer science, social studies and music at . (Changes reflect reduction of 1.33 teaching position).
• The aforementioned cuts ensure that department chairs, curriculum coordinators and instructional coaches no longer have one free period per day, eliminating the need for additional staffing to deliver the instructional program. This change affects 15 of the 21 curriculum coordinators and department chairs.
• Cut four sections of business and computer science and one section of family consumer science at Hatboro-Horsham High School. As part o this reduction, class size scheduling parameters would expand from 20 to 26 students in business and computer science courses and from 15 to 20 students in family and consumer science courses. (Program curtailment reflects a reduction of .67 teaching position).
• Reduce sections of social studies and four sections of music as a result of declining enrollment. (Changes reflect a reduction of 1.33 teaching positions).
• Elimination of the instructional technology specialist position at the high school, which provides no direct instruction to students. (Reduction is 1 teaching position).
• Reduce 15 sections in elementary library support and instruction as a result of declining enrollment. (This change results in a reduction of .67 teaching position).

Unlike a previous widely-attended March meeting in which , the handful of people present - following the several hundred who left after an extensive student and retiree recognition - did not comment on the proposed furloughs, or program reductions.