Faced with declining enrollment and a modest state aid increase, St. Paul Public Schools plans to eliminate about 100 classroom positions next year.
Schools have identified 115 teachers and 108 paraprofessionals they won’t bring back in the fall. But many of those people will be moved into vacant positions at other schools, human resources director Laurin Cathey told the school board Tuesday.
All told, the district’s payroll should shrink by about 25 teachers and 69 support staff, he said. Tenured teachers should find a place in the district, but some probationary teachers may not be brought back, depending on the number of retirements.
St. Paul is basing its budget on a projected loss of 1,117 students and a 1.25 percent increase in per-student state aid.
But the state House and Senate on Tuesday said they’ll recommend a 1.5 percent increase, which would mean another $800,000 for the St. Paul district. Gov. Mark Dayton wants a 2 percent increase.
“This is a work in progress and we know that there could be some additional revenue,” interim superintendent John Thein said.
St. Paul has been more transparent with its budgeting this year, the third consecutive year of significant spending cuts.
Responding to public interest, the district on Tuesday released detailed funding charts for each school. They show that projected per-student funding, including extra money for high-poverty schools, ranges from $5,173 at the Capitol Hill gifted school to $11,328 at Cherokee Heights Elementary.
Total general fund spending will be around $529 million next year, up $1 million. But rising costs have forced the district to identify $23 million in spending cuts.
Besides classroom positions, they’re eliminating administrative interns at Farnsworth Aerospace’s lower campus and Adams Spanish Immersion and three jobs in central administration — two in the chief executive’s office and one in leadership development.
Most departments are taking additional 2 percent funding cuts.
The board will adopt its budget June 20, so there’s still time for changes.
Board member Steve Marchese said the board should consider canceling, for a second straight year, a planned $1 million contribution to an underfunded trust for future retirees.
Marchese said the board must take a more strategic approach to its budget this time next year.