NICE Working Around 14% Funding Cut
For the last decade or so, Michigan school districts have been sweating out the state’s budget process every year.
And some of those new budgets have resulted in education cuts.
The NICE Community Schools have had to make budget cuts 8 years in a row.
And the board expects it’s about to become 9.
Early estimates called for a slight, but manageable, state aid cut.
Governor Rick Snyder’s budget proposal cuts much deeper than that.
NICE Superintendent Mike Haynes says if nothing else changes from Lansing, the proposal would represent a cut of $1.4 million, about 14% of the district’s budget.
Haynes has been asking for ideas on how the district can work more efficiently.
People are responding, and he says he’s thrilled to be part of a district with the community involvement that NICE has.
Haynes says they’re coming up with some ideas but he doesn’t think that’s reason to rejoice by any means.
He says the district will still be in for rough sledding, with program cuts likely to be inevitable.
The NICE district has already released a first draft of a budget for this fall.
You can find it here on the district’s website.
Once you click on that link, follow the ‘Financial Information’ link on the left of NICE’s page.