Stan F. Mack II

Dr. David Gundlach

Michael Nault

Susan Schnorr

Dr. Andrew Jones

Superintendent

Deputy

Executive Director

Executive Director

Executive Director

of Schools

Superintendent

of Human Resources

of Business Services

of Administration

920.424.0160

920.424.0296

920.424.0124

920.424.0120

920.424.0296

215 S. Eagle Street l P. O. Box 3048 l Oshkosh, WI 54903 l 920.424.0395 l www.oshkosh.k12.wi.us

For$Immediate$Release$ February$25,$2016$ Media$Contact$ Superintendent$Stan$Mack$ 920@424@0428$

[email protected] $

Oshkosh&School&Board&Approves&Proposed&Cuts&if&Referendum&Not&Approved& February(24,(2016(–(Oshkosh,(WI:0The0Oshkosh0School0Board0approved0a0list0of0$3.40million0in0cuts0for0 the02016B170school0year0and0an0additional0$40million0in0cuts0for0the02017B180school0year0that0would0be0 instituted0if0the0April050Referendum0for0Learning0is0not0approved0by0district0voters.0 The0Referendum0for0Learning0is0a0request0for0increased0funding0that0will0go0before0school0district0voters0 on0April05.0The0referendum0is0in0response0to0continued0pressure0on0the0school0district’s0budget0due0to0 inadequate0state0funding0that0does0not0keep0up0with0inflation0or0increasing0educational0costs.0The0state0 allows0school0districts0to0ask0local0voters0to0approve0increases0beyond0the0stateBimposed0revenue0limits0 for0their0community.0 If0voters0approve0the0referendum0on0April05,0it0will0provide0$40million0per0year0for0seven0years0that0 would0be0used0to0protect0academic0programs0for0Oshkosh0students0and0make0security0improvements0to0 district0schools.0If0voters0do0not0approve0the0referendum,0the0boardBapproved0cuts0will0go0into0affect0 beginning0in0the02016B170school0year.0The0cuts0were0developed0by0a033Bmember0staff/community0 budget0reconciliation0committee0over0the0course0of0several0meetings.00 Examples0of0what0will0be0cut0over0the0next0two0years0if0the0referendum0fails0include:0 •$ Mandatory0study0hall0for0all0middle0school0students0in0place0of0elective0classes0like0FamilyB Consumer0Science,0Career/Technology0Education0and0STEM0 •$ Eliminate0or0restrict0lower0enrollment0classes0and0electives0in0middle0and0high0school0(ex:0CAPP,0 Business,0Technology0and0Engineering,0Agriculture,0French,0German,0Art0and0Music/Orchestra)0 •$ Reduce0art,0music0and0gym0opportunities0in0elementary0school0 •$ Increase0athletic0fees0and0combine0several0North0and0West0high0school0teams0into0one0 •$ Close0and/or0combine0schools0 0 “Voters0need0complete0information0about0what0will0occur0if0the0referendum0passes0and0what0if0it0fails,”0 said0Superintendent0Stan0Mack.0“We0have0been0very0clear0that0if0it0passes,0we0will0be0able0to0protect0 academic0programs0and0enhance0school0security.0We0need0to0be0equally0clear0what0will0be0cut0if0it0fails0 so0residents0know0the0impact0that0would0have0on0our0school0programs.”00 (

More0information0about0the0Referendum0for0Learning0can0be0found0at0 http://referendum.oshkosh.k12.wi.us.0

0

The(Oshkosh(Area(School(District(serves(more(than(10,000(students(from(early(childhood(through(grade(12(at( fifteen(elementary(schools,(five(middle(schools,(two(high(schools,(and(two(charter(schools.(The(school(district’s( mission(is(to(create(citizens(who(are(critical,(creative(thinkers,(responsible(in(their(actions,(and(committed(to( learning(for(life(by(working(together(with(families(and(communities.(( (

Retaining%Educational%Opportunities • The%community%based%budget%reconciliation% committee%met%over%several%evenings%to% analyze%all%possible%options • A%series%of%items%were%considered%and% individual%members%voted%on%the%final%list • The%list%was%presented%to%the%board%and% ultimately%approved%at%their%2/24/16%meeting

Retaining%Educational%Opportunities 2016–17'Budget'Reduction'List

1. Require%all%MS%students%to%take%one%study%hall%($1,120,000) Eliminates% access%to%middle% school%electives% such%as%Family%Consumer%Science% and% Career/Technology% Education%and%STEM%options.%(a16%Teacher% FTE/+4%Para%FTE)

2. Eliminate%all%lower%enrollment%classes%and%electives%in%MS%and%HS% to%increase%average%class%size%and%Transition%Orchestra%to%Fund%80% ($595,000%+%$280,000) Eliminates% or%severely%restricts%CAPP,%CTE,%Business,% Youth%Apprenticeship,% Agriculture,%French,%German,%Art,%and%Music.%%Potentially%eliminates% lower% enrollment% programs%such%as%ALPS,%Communities,% etc.%(a 12.5%Teacher% FTE)

3. Close%1%of%5%Middle%Schools%($350,000) Results% in%larger%middle%schools% and%would%require%boundary%adjustments (a1%Administrative% FTE,%a1%Dean%FTE,%a2%Clerical%FTE,%a1.5%Custodian%FTE)

4. Reduce%employee%health%plan/require%spousal%surcharge%($300,000) Reduces% employee%total%compensation% and%impacts%staff%morale

Retaining%Educational%Opportunities 2016–17'Budget'Reduction'List

5. Decrease%teacher%preparation%at%the%secondary%level%by% eliminating%supervisory%assistants%and%requiring%teachers%to%sub% for%16%periods%($160,000%+%$60,000)%% Decreased% teacher%time%to%prepare%lessons% and%work%with%students.% (a4%Para%FTE)

6. Reduce%district%administration%($130,000) Strategic%plan%and%curriculum%scope%and%sequence% will%be%compromised.% %Ability%to% plan%and%respond%to%community%and%student%needs% severely%reduced.%(a1%FTE)

7. Reduce%High%School%Athletic%Budget%($90,000)

Doubling%high%school%athletic% participation% fee%from%$50%per%sport%to%$100 North%and%West%High%School%sports%will%be%combined% into%one%team%for%the% following: Football Boys%swimming Boys%and%girls%golf Boys%and%girls%soccer Softball Boys%and%girls%cross%country

Retaining%Educational%Opportunities 2016–17'Budget'Reduction'List

8. Increase%HS%Music%teaching%load%from%4%to%5%sections%($84,000) Eliminates% or%severely%restricts%individualized% student% attention%on%their%specific% instrument% (a1.2%Teacher% FTE)

9. Eliminate%funding%for%professional%development%and%reduce% employee%travel%($60,000%+%$25,000) Erodes%quality%of%educational% program%and%ability%for%staff%to%stay%current

10. Reduce%building%budgets%by%5%%($43,296) Reduces% supplies% and%materials% used%for%student% instruction

11. Reduce%district%clerical%and%maintenance%staff%($55,000%+%$65,000) Responsiveness% to%district%needs% compromised%(a1%FTE%Clerical% and%a1%FTE%Custodial)

Sell%Ryf Road%Property%($700,000) Board%Facilities% and%Finance%Committee% already%pursuing%this%option.%%Resources% would%be%used%for%other%facility%needs

Retaining%Educational%Opportunities 2017–18'Budget'Reduction'List

1. Combine%2%Elementary%Schools%into%Middle%School%($250,000) Closes% neighborhood%schools% potentially% decreasing% enrollment.%%District% boundaries% would%not%be%based%on%neighborhoods.%%Feeder%school%pathways% disrupted%and%transportation% costs%will%increase.

2. Suspend%compensation%increase%for%all%staff%and%eliminate% department%chairs%($1,000,000%+%$71,000) District%already%the%lowest%in%terms%of%total%compensation.% %Oshkosh%will%not%be% competitive% and%subject%to%increased% costs%due%to%turnover.

3. Contract%cleaning%of%all%facilities%($420,000) Cleanliness% and%security%of%buildings% would%be%compromised.% %Ownership%and% personal%care%of%facilities% would%not%exist%(a21%FTE%Custodial)

4. Reduce%Ka5%Art,%Music,%and%PE%specialists%by%half%($700,000) Results% in%elementary% students% receiving%art,%music%and%physical%education% instruction% for%only%half%of%the%year%with%a%specialist.% %Significantly%reduces% elementary% teacher%preparation%time.%(a10%Teacher% FTE)

Retaining(Educational(Opportunities

2017–18'Budget'Reduction'List 5. Eliminate(Math(and(Literacy(Intervention(Teachers(($880,000)

Students(would(not(receive(intervention( in(math(and(reading.((Regular(classroom( teachers(would(be(responsible( for(interventions( and(have(less(time(for(other( students.( (G11(Teacher( FTE)

6. Eliminate(all(professional(development(and(instructional(support( not(mandated(by(federal(programs(like(Title(1(($1,420,000) All(district( professional(development( and(direct(support(to(classroom(teachers( would(be(eliminated.( (Classroom( teachers(would(have(no(support(for(students( requiring(interventions( reducing(time( spent(with(other(students.( (Teachers( responsible( for(scheduling,( logistics,( and(administering( AP(tests(at(the(High(School.(( Curriculum(scope(and(sequence( significantly( compromised.( (Educational( supports( necessary( to(respond(to(student(needs( and(implement( the(strategic(plan( eliminated.( (Learning(without(limits( technology(initiative( would(be(unsupported.( ( Media(center(access( and(Gifted/Talented( opportunities( would(be(limited.( (Math( Recovery(would(be(significantly( reduced.((G25.5(Teacher(FTE)