Small districts, sharp axes: here are some proactive steps that can be taken at both the district and school site level to successfully cope with the continuing budget crisis

Leadership, May-June, 2004 by Clifford E. Tyler, Robert W. Kibby

The use of automobiles by staff and payment of mileage is a major expense and should he carefully monitored. Small districts should severely limit the purchase of automobiles for business use. Payment of mileage on an employee claim basis should be implemented, but carefully monitored.

All small districts should seek ways to pool their insurance expenses, including worker's compensation, health/dental insurance and fire/peril/liability. Most county offices of education offer Joint Powers Agreements with a locally elected JPA governing board for sell: insurance arrangements. They can contract out insurance plan management for a finite expense with appropriate private companies while carefully monitoring expenditures, fund reserves and premium increases with these companies. JPAs have proven effective over the years at reducing local district expenses.

There are a number of ways that small districts can save expenses with classified staff, although prudent care should be exercised to maximize cooperation with the local classified employees union(s). Controlling and scheduling vacation, illness and worker's compensation leaves; and paying substitute help at least 5 percent less than beginning classifications, are excellent starts.

Small districts should also review the use of custodial time. Starting a student anti-litter campaign could reduce custodial services. Charging a portion of custodial expenses to categorical program classrooms and charging kitchen/cafeteria custodial services to the food service budget may also help.

Food service and transportation

Small districts should strive to make food service operations completely self-supporting, including the replacement of expensive equipment. Inviting a Department of Education food service consultant to visit the district for auditing, observing and recommending changes for more efficient food service operations is prudent. These consultants usually recommend maximizing meals served per employee labor horn, joining a food service JPA to bid out purchase of commodities and supplies through a distributing, and bidding out milk supplies through a local dairy.

Student transportation is another major small district expense that warrants review. Schedules should be reviewed and policies revised for student pick-up points. Field trips should be limited, and a full-day kindergarten should be considered to eliminate extra home-school runs for these students. Small districts should seriously consider pooling their transportation services into a multi-district JPA, saving a transportation director and mechanic expenses and providing competitive driver compensation.

As an example, Southwest Transportation Agency in southern Fresno County pools eight geographically adjacent small districts into a single transportation agency that provides all home-school and field trip transportation services for these districts. This agency, governed by a board of directors with one or two representatives from each serviced district, hires a chief executive officer to employ and train staff for operations and control of expenses. A JPA is preferable for contracting to a private transportation contractor, because of greater district control over operations expenses through direct representation with a JPA.