GRPS passed budget parameters Monday night, including a school attendance level at which schools would be considered for closing or consolidation.  Below, a look at the other parameters, including class size, and list of who’s running to keep their seats and who’s looking to sit on the board.

Here are the “budget parameters” set forth by the administration in no particular order.  The board voted unanimously to adopt them:

- Schools that have fewer than 200 full-time students as of the fall count or are at or below 85 percent of capacity would be under consideration for closing or consolidation in the fall of 2010  (Full story here.)

- Elementary class sizes shall remain between 22 and 30, with kindergarten through third grade at the lower end of the range
 
- Reductions at the elementary level should be minimized as much as possible

- Secondary school class sizes should be between 25 and 35 (some electives such as band could be higher)

- Class sizes may be higher when technology is used to deliver instruction

- Elective classes at secondary level not retained unless 25 students or more are enrolled

- Staffing will be driven by student needs

- Increase use of technology

- Minimize the use of fund balanace to meet recurring expenses

- No increase in number of administrators

- Efforts to reduce cost of health insurance

***

GRPS CFO Lisa Freiburger says the decline in student enrollment from the fall count to the winter count appears to be weighted toward the secondary schools, which was not unexpected.  As we reported last week, the student drop from count to count this year was about half of what it was last year.

***

Tonight’s board packet includes the list of board candidates who will appear on the May ballot.  Former board President David Allen announced earlier that he would not seek re-election.  Board Secretary Arnie Smithalexander is running for re-election and Senita Lenear, who was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Jim Rinck but lost her bid to keep that seat in last May’s election, is also running.  Tony Baker, who beat Lenear, is running for re-election.  Three seats are open.  The candidates are:

Tony Baker
Wendy VerHage Falb
Senita Lenear
Arnie Smithalexander
Kevin Weiss