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DMS staff warn budget override failure would force cuts to electives, supports and raise class sizes
Summary
A staff member speaking in the meeting transcript said DMS currently offers its full course catalog with class sizes of about 18–25, but if an operational override fails the school would reduce teaching staff, cut electives and shrink intervention and co-curricular programs.
A staff member at DMS said the school is currently able to offer its full course catalog and that, with adequate teaching staff, class sizes “range right now in most cases between 18 to 25 students.”
The staff member told the meeting transcript that the school provides instructional support in classrooms, tutors, counseling services, curriculum leaders and an administrative team to respond to issues and communicate with families. The speaker said special educators carry “appropriate caseloads” to meet deadlines and support students with disabilities.
The staff member said those supports were enabled by this year’s funding levels. “Right now with the funding we've had this year, we've been able to provide students with our entire course catalog and nearly all of our students have been able to get into the classes that they'd hope to have,” the speaker said.
The speaker described two funding scenarios. If the district advances a “real needs” budget and an operational override passes, the staff member said DMS “does anticipate some reductions in teaching staff” as part of routine annual staffing reviews. The remarks did not specify numbers or which positions would be reduced under that scenario.
If an operational override did not pass, the staff member said the school would face “significant staffing reductions,” especially in elective courses. The transcript states students could lose access to some course offerings, class sizes would be “more often in the mid to high twenties across all 3 grade levels,” and interventions, tutoring and co-curricular clubs could be cut to meet budget shortfalls.
The remarks mixed discussion of current operations and hypothetical outcomes tied to the override; no formal vote or binding decision on the override or staffing was recorded in the transcript provided. The speaker did not give dollar figures, a timeline for cuts, nor identify specific positions that would be eliminated.
School officials and district leaders were not identified by name in the transcript excerpts provided, and the record supplied does not include any formal motions, votes or staff directives related to the budget or staffing decisions.
