Ferguson‑Florissant board approves mergers, closures and staffing freezes in $10.5 million cost‑cutting package

Ferguson‑Florissant School District trustees on Wednesday approved a set of budget reductions and reorganizations intended to close an estimated $10.5 million gap, voting to merge a STEAM middle program into the STEAM high campus, close Innovation High School, reassign the Mark Twain Restoration and Wellness Center program and freeze several central‑office positions as part of a preliminary plan presented by district administrators.

The board approved the measures during a meeting at the district administration center in Hazelwood after more than two hours of public comment from teachers, parents and students urging the trustees to protect assistant principals and music programs. Administrators told the board the district’s unrestricted fund balance stood at 11.29 percent and that preliminary projections show the district could need up to $25 million in short‑term borrowing to cover cash flow through the end of 2025 if no further steps are taken.

Why it matters: the district says it must reduce operating costs to stabilize finances and meet state timelines. Trustees and administrators framed the decisions as necessary to preserve core instruction while they develop longer‑term options such as consolidating underused buildings, selling surplus property, and reconfiguring grade spans. The board also announced the start of a superintendent search and scheduled community input.

Administrators opened the meeting with a preliminary budget presentation and repeated several times that the figures were estimates. "These are just preliminary numbers that will change," said Doctor Singleton while presenting revenue and expenditure estimates and fund‑balance calculations. The presentation showed $150 million in total preliminary revenues and about $146 million in expenditures across all funds, with the district looking to raise its unrestricted reserve gradually rather than attempt all reductions in a single year.

Public comments and community pressure shaped debate. Dozens of speakers — including teachers and parents — urged the board to keep assistant principals, protect orchestra and other music classes, and avoid layoffs that would undermine schools’ capacity to manage behavior and support struggling students. Amanda and other commenters emphasized local impacts; Amy Trippetti, orchestra director at Berkeley Intermediate and Halls Ferry Intermediate, told the board, "Instrumental music provides critical social and emotional learning development opportunities." Monica Binokhin, who teaches orchestra at Lee Hamilton and Griffith, said, "Elementary instrumental music education is a cornerstone of a well‑rounded curriculum." Several speakers asked the board to explore alternatives to program cuts.

Board action and key points - STEAM campus consolidation: The board approved a "school‑within‑a‑school" merger that moves STEAM Academy Middle into the STEAM high campus to reduce duplicated staff, reduce bus routes and expand course access between the two programs. District staff estimated the move would save about $688,863 in 2025–26. - Innovation High School closure: Trustees voted to close Innovation High School at the end of the current academic year, citing low enrollment and higher per‑pupil costs tied to online course contracts. Administrators estimated about $1.30 million in ongoing savings and said staff would be offered opportunities to apply for other openings. - Mark Twain Restoration and Wellness Center: The board approved restructuring the Mark Twain facility, relocating DEC‑assigned students into a wing at Wedgwood Sixth Grade Center and moving credit‑recovery programming to STEAM High School; district staff estimated roughly $592,785 in annual savings and said the property could be declared surplus for sale. - Central‑office freezes and reorganizations: Trustees approved the temporary freezing of several central‑office positions to reduce overhead; the board amended the administration’s original list to retain one executive role (the executive director for curriculum and instruction) and asked administrators to further study whether the chief‑of‑staff role could be frozen. The administration estimated the freezes would save roughly $975,508. - Assistant principals and music programs: The administration recommended cutting 18 assistant‑principal allocations and eliminating pull‑out elementary instrumental music in preliminary proposals. After hearing public testimony and board discussion, trustees directed administrators not to implement immediate mass AP layoffs. Instead the board authorized using $1.4 million of the preliminary savings and seeking additional reductions from vacancies, retirements and non‑personnel lines to preserve positions where possible. - Other staffing and program changes: The board approved elimination of 13 HyFlex facilitator positions and 14 attendance‑secretary positions; trustees also approved a set of smaller administrative and contract reductions (Aramark, some software and agency contracts) that administrators said together contributed to the $10.5 million figure.

Discussion vs. direction vs. decision Discussion points at the meeting included whether the district should seek a sweep‑account alternative to a tax‑anticipation note, how to protect college‑ and career‑education pathways previously provided at Innovation, and whether central office can absorb duties without compromising instruction. The board issued several clear directions: it asked administrators to (1) use $1.4 million from proposed savings to avoid immediate assistant‑principal layoffs and identify remaining savings through attrition and non‑personnel cuts, (2) preserve pull‑out music programs if alternative funding sources can be identified, and (3) provide a side‑by‑side analysis of tax‑anticipation borrowing vs. a sweep account for the May budget meeting. Formal motions produced the votes listed below.

Votes at a glance - Merge STEAM Academy Middle into STEAM at the MSB campus — Outcome: Approved (Roll call: Secretary yes; Mr. Tyson yes; Mr. Bailey yes; Dr. Paul Walker yes; Dr. Graves yes; Dr. Martin yes). Estimated 2025–26 savings: $688,863. - Close Innovation High School at end of school year — Outcome: Approved (Roll call: Secretary yes; Mr. Tyson yes; Mr. Bailey abstained; Dr. Paul Walker yes; Dr. Graves yes; Dr. Thurman yes; Dr. Martin yes). Estimated savings: $1,298,476. - Restructure Mark Twain Restoration & Wellness Center and declare property surplus — Outcome: Approved (roll call: majority yes). Estimated savings: $592,785. - Freeze additional central‑office positions (amended list removing executive director of curriculum/instruction) — Outcome: Approved after amendment (roll calls recorded). Estimated savings (amended list): $975,508. - Eliminate 13 HyFlex facilitator positions — Outcome: Approved (roll call: majority yes). Estimated savings included in package. - Eliminate 14 attendance‑secretary positions — Outcome: Approved (roll call: majority yes). Estimated savings included in package. - Assistant‑principal allocation reduction (administration recommended 18 cuts) — Outcome: Board directed no immediate mass layoffs; directed administration to use $1.4M from proposed savings and find additional reductions via vacancies/attrition; not implemented as mass cuts. - Pull‑out elementary instrumental music (administration proposed elimination) — Outcome: Board directed administration to seek alternative funding to preserve music programs rather than implement the proposed cuts.

What the board asked administrators to do next - Produce a side‑by‑side analysis of short‑term borrowing (TAN) versus a sweep‑account option for the May budget review and the June final adoption. - Identify which positions could be eliminated through attrition or vacancy rather than immediate layoff, and return with a refined list for the final budget. - Provide implementation plans for each approved consolidation and closure (transportation logistics, staffing assignments, student transitions and legal/contract actions related to surplus property). - Continue community engagement, including sessions tied to the superintendent search and focused outreach to families affected by campus changes.

Context and next steps The board emphasized these votes were part of a multi‑step process. Administrators repeatedly called the numbers preliminary and said final adjustments would appear in May and June budget readings. Trustees and speakers also highlighted the human consequences of the choices: parents, teachers and students urged the board to preserve arts and school leadership positions that play roles in classroom behavior management and student supports.

The board announced a superintendent search process and invited community input; a stakeholder survey and an in‑person listening session were scheduled in the days after the meeting. Administrators said they aim to finalize staff assignments and the final budget before the start of the 2025–26 school year.

Ending note: the district’s preliminary budget presentation showed a constrained margin for action: unrestricted reserves below recommended levels and possible short‑term borrowing needs. Trustees said they preferred incremental changes to rebuild reserves and asked administrators to return to the board with more precise, implementable plans at the May budget meeting.