Empire schools eye cuts to budget

District asks public for help in trimming

By MICHELLE HATFIELD
mhatfield@modbee.com

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EMPIRE -- As legislators prepare to hammer out a tight 2008-09 state budget and many Central Valley public schools enroll fewer students, districts are searching for where to trim their budgets.

Empire Union School District will hold a board meeting Monday to ask the community which programs should be cut and which should stay. Administrators don't have a cut list as Modesto City Schools has; they are asking for community input to help develop that prioritized list, Superintendent Bob Price said.

The district expects to slash $2.8 million from its $23 million budget in the next month. That's 12 percent for a district of 3,500 Empire and east Modesto students.

"That's a lot of money for us," Price said. "There's no way we're going to do this without cutting personnel and programs."

The district has lost 700 students in five years. Officials are estimating a decline of 130 students for the fall.

Enrollment is declining statewide for a variety of reasons, including the economy, housing and birthrates, experts say.

Most of Empire Union's budget cuts for 2008-09 are the result of the proposed state budget cuts, Price said.

Though some California districts will consider closing schools, Price said the district doesn't have enough time to redraw student attendance boundaries to shut one down for the 2008-09 school year. Empire Union operates five elementary schools and two middle schools.

Districts have until March 15 to warn some employees about anticipated layoffs, forcing administrators to plan for the worst case until the state budget is passed later this year. Price sent an e-mail to district staff Friday about the district's predicament.

The last reduction in teaching staff came during 2002-03, but enough people retired or left the district so that no one had to be laid off, Price said.

At Monday's meeting, officials will discuss the district's budget. The public is invited to speak after the presentation.

"We're seeking guidance," Price said. "We're trying to keep this from being a feeding frenzy."

The meeting starts at 6 p.m.

Monday in the district office

boardroom, 116 N. McClure

Road, Empire.

Bee staff writer Michelle Hatfield can be reached at mhatfield@modbee.com or 578-2339.