FAQ:  How bad would it be if the BCSD had to adopt a contingent budget?
In our view - horrifically bad.  But why?

If the BCSD is forced to adopt a contingent budget, the Board of Education would need to find over $1.4 million in additional reductions.  While we do not know yet from where exactly those cuts would come, we have enough information to put forth some reasonable ideas.
  • As seen in the first image to the right, in a contingent budget, $1,485,411 would need to be reduced in order to balance the budget for next year.
  • Non-contingent budget items would (by law) have to be removed from the budget.  Those items are in the 2nd image on the right, and total $374,186.

  • After taking out the non-contingent items, $1,121,225 would still need to be reduced to balance the budget.  There would be a modest amount of administrative cost reductions (another state law), and the remaining amount ($1,111,225) would come from program-related cost reductions.

  • "Program-related cost reductions" = cuts that will immediately be felt by our kids and our community.  These are the cuts that strike right to the heart of our district.   While we do not definitely know what they would be, the district has given us some guidance in the chart below. Among the many reductions, it includes significantly increasing elementary class size, major reductions in both the instrumental music program, and almost a complete cut of the BCSD Athletics program.  (Click on the image below to enlarge.)