Suggestions and Comments

        For:  York Porter, School Board Member
        From: Duane Bristow, Parent, Taxpayer, Voter
        Subject:  School finances and policies
        Date:  February 21, 1992

        I have noted a few things that have occurred in the local school 
        system in the last couple of years and this has led me to think 
        of a few problems facing the school system and to suggest a few 
        solutions for consideration by you and the rest of the school 
        board members.

        According to Mr. Terrill Ross as quoted in the Clinton County 
        News the delay of about a year in beginning construction of the 
        new middle school has cost the school system about $113,000.  I 
        read in the Courier Journal that there will be less money 
        available from the state for all school districts in the coming 
        year.  These two losses together mean that there will have to be 
        budget cuts somewhere.  Since the school system has received 
        about 2 million dollars in total budget increases during the 
        last two years and since the majority of this was allocated to 
        increased pay levels for employees, this would seem the sensible 
        place to cut.  I am sure after statements made to me by several 
        of the school board members of their desire to improve the 
        education received by our children that they would not want to 
        cut money allocated for school supplies or operations.  I 
        understand that each 1% pay raise to employees costs the school 
        system about $40,000 and that average salaries were raised a 
        total of 20% to 25% during the last two years.  Therefore a 3% 
        pay cut should just about cover the $113,000 lost by the delay 
        in school construction.

        I also understand from the newspaper that the land just 
        purchased for the school site is costing the school system 
        $270,000.  This is an increase of $120,000 over the cost of the 
        site purchased by the previous school board.  Since money spent 
        for one thing necessitates cuts in spending elsewhere, I 
        conclude that there will be $120,000 less now available for the 
        actual construction.  In keeping with the school board's desire 
        to improve educational opportunities for our children, it would 
        seem that the most logical course would be to ask the architect 
        to calculate how much reduction in the size or seating capacity 
        of the school gym would be necessary to recoup this $120,000. 

        I also recommend that the school board consider beginning a 
        process to develop a comprehensive and very detailed set of 
        overall goals for the educational system in our county.  This 
        process should result in recommendations for goals of education, 
        means of achieving these goals, and with methods of measuring 
        progress toward achieving these goals. It should also include 
        sets of intermediate goals and methods of measuring progress 
        there. There should be a process also of review of the goals and 
        achievements and of changing the overall plan as needed.


        Yours for better education,

        __________________________
        Duane Bristow