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Northfield district unveils $6 million budget-reduction proposal; middle school 6-period day could cut electives and 1.6 FTE
Summary
Superintendent Corey Hillman told the school board the district is pursuing about $6,000,000 in reductions for next year because of declining enrollment and rising unfunded mandates. Proposals include a possible return to a six-period middle-school day that administrators say would save about 1.6 FTE and roughly $200,000 but would reduce elective choices.
The Northfield Public School Board on March 10 reviewed a priority-based plan that would reduce roughly $6,000,000 from the district’s operating budget next year, Superintendent Corey Hillman said.
"We are looking to make a $6,000,000 reduction for next year," Hillman said, describing drivers that include steady enrollment declines, housing shortages in the district and unfunded state and federal mandates such as special education cross-subsidies.
Why it matters: about 70% of the district’s revenue is tied to enrollment-based formulas, Hillman said, and the district faces both a projected per-pupil revenue shortfall and increased costs for items such as family medical leave and payroll tax changes. The administration also reported a recent proration of special education reimbursements that reduces anticipated revenue this year.
How the savings would be achieved: Hillman described five reduction packages developed by more than 80 community, staff and student participants. Proposals range from operational adjustments (passing credit-card fees to users, trimming some stipends and reducing shuttle service) to program and staffing changes.
Major program change under review is a possible return to a six-period day at the middle school. Principal Greg, who outlined the schedule analysis, said that remaining in a seven-period day would not get the district to its target without cutting classroom sections.
"Students already have either a study hall every day or every other day at a minimum on their schedule ... That's too much time, for students to be out of the academics," Greg said, explaining that eliminating study halls alone yields no contract savings because those slots are part of teacher contracts. He said shifting to a six-period day would create permanent daily slots and allow the district to reduce approximately 1.6 full-time-equivalent positions, which administration estimates would yield about $200,000 in savings.
Board members pressed for detail on how electives and arts offerings would be preserved or restructured. Greg said music options (choir, band, orchestra) would remain, but under a six-period day a student could choose only one daily music offering instead of two alternating-day classes; art offerings would likely be combined into a single yearlong exploratory class that meets state arts standards across units.
Director of finance Val Murdersdorf highlighted the larger fiscal context, including a commissioner-set inflationary factor of 2.74% in the school formula and a current proration affecting special education reimbursements. "525,000," Murdersdorf said when reporting the estimated amount the district will not receive this year because of proration.
Administration pledged follow-up: board members asked for written scheduling models, FTE math and examples showing why semester or quarter schedules do not substantially reduce staffing needs. Hillman and Greg agreed to post those analyses to the FAQ page and share them with the board ahead of future decisions.
Next steps: the administration rescheduled the community input session on the budget reductions for April 3 at the middle school and flagged additional board review dates on April 14 and April 28. The administration emphasized these recommendations are at a discussion stage and will be refined after public feedback.
The board did not take final action on schedule or staffing changes at the meeting.
