Schools: Committee to hear more on budget tonight, sports forums begin at East High
By Jim Hagerty
Online Editor
Although there is no regular meeting of the Rockford Board of Education tonight (April 19), the Finance and Operations Committee is scheduled to receive budget updates.
Chief Financial Officer Cedric Lewis is slated to update the committee on how the administration is preparing for fiscal 2012.
The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m., at the Administration Building.
Lewis and outgoing Superintendent Dr. LaVonne Sheffield have been under fire since presenting the school board with a $50 million budget deficit for fiscal 2012, which begins July 1.
Much of the controversy came after the Rockford Education Association, the local teacher’s union, called for an independent review of the figures officials used to calculate the shortfall.
The union claimed the budget was incorrect and was more along the lines of $15 million.
After reviewing a portion of the budget, consulting firm Baker Tilly reported that the district could receive a not-allotted-for state subsidy of more than $23 million next year.
However, Lewis and Sheffield continue to claim the revenue was not included in next year’s projections because of a dismal financial outlook in Springfield.
Sheffield has resigned from the district and will officially depart April 30.
Meantime, the public is invited to give input tonight at one of three forums aimed at shedding light on proposed changes to the district’s athletic program. Last week, officials presented a plan that would turn the program into a tiered system.
Under the proposed plan, sports that generate the most revenue for the district (football and basketball) would remain intact. Others, such as baseball, softball, swimming and golf, would not be offered on the freshman level in hopes of saving the district approximately $660,000.
The administration has also proposed firing all athletic directors, delegating their duties to assistant principals. According to officials, District 205 spends approximately $3 million annually on its sports program.
Tuesday’s forum is at 6 p.m. at East High School.The two remaining sessions will be at Jefferson High School Monday, April 25, and Thursday, April 28, at Guilford.
The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 26. The meeting will mark the first for three new school board members. The meeting will be held at Ellis Arts Academy, 222 S. Central Avenue.
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How to create the ‘vision’ Dr. LaVonne Sheffield described Rockford Public Schools as where we were when she arrived (Vision 2015) in 10 easy steps.
1) Lessen the discipline code and remove consequences from students for their actions.
2) Take away choice of schools and make sure parents have no option other than their neighborhood schools.
3) Create a financial crisis in the district a) spend money recklessly until noticed, b) create an assumed financial deficit if necessary.
4) Close as many schools as possible so parents in those zones will not have a neighborhood or choice of school option.
5) Eliminate honors, AP and any rigorous education opportunities to encourage parents that can financially afford it to leave the district.
6) Remove as much extracurricular activities as possible while saying you are glad to have the opportunity of keeping some.
7) Open additional charter schools because erroneous and private capacity data caused district to close too many schools.
8) Charter schools return discipline, language challenged, and non performing students back into Rockford Public schools.
9) Operate what is left of public schools primarily from federal grant money because of high percentage of social economically challenged students.
10) Lessen academic requirements so higher percentage of remaining schools graduate. Erase ISAT scores if necessary to demonstrate the improvements Dr. Sheffield has made to our Rockford Public Schools.
Steps 1-5 are done…6 is in play…7 comes before enrollment this fall…and 8-10 come shortly after.
RRStar says Sheffield withdrew her application in Cleveland. According to the Cleveland newspaper, Sheffield was rejected.