KELLER -- Keller district officials are preparing to deal with more students and spend less money as they build next year's budget.
On Friday, Deputy Superintendent Mark Youngs, said state cuts to district funding are expected to be $13 million for 2011-12 and $17 million for 2012-13.
Youngs said administrators are still working on budget details. Trustees will discuss the budget in depth at the July 18 board meeting, including which of the proposed $17.5 million in cuts to enact and how much to take from the district's $52 million savings.
At the June 27 meeting, officials decided to use $4.8 million in one-time Federal Education Jobs funds to delay laying off 91 teachers, 16 librarians and six academic associates. Those 113 employees are expected to lose their jobs for 2012-13. Another 122 staff positions will be eliminated for this coming year.
Youngs said the district's fund balance, or savings, is used to manage cash flow. Typically, the first month or two of the school year is funded by savings and reimbursed with state revenue and local property taxes that come in at various times of the year in lump sums. District officials have said they would like to retain about 20 percent of the annual budget in savings, or about $42 million.
Next year's overall budget is projected to be slightly less than this year's $211 million spending plan while the district is expected to add about 800 students and open the new Ridgeview Elementary in far north Keller.
The school, located in the Marshall Ridge subdivision which is slated for about 900 homes at build-out, was funded with $23.5 million from the 2008 bond package and includes all furniture, fixtures, equipment and technology.
The out-of-pocket costs are staffing and some supplies. The annual operating cost of the new school is less than half a percent of the total budget, Youngs said.
Officials had decided against delaying Ridgeview's opening.
"The alternative is portables and portables are expensive and hard to teach in," Youngs said.
Portables have to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and must include toilets and running water, a new zoning regulation, he said.
Sandra Engelland, 817-431-2231
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